Balkans frustrated over protracted EU accession - minister

The Western Balkan countries are frustrated over their protracted EU accession, Poland's foreign minister said after Monday's meeting of Visegrad Group (V4) and Western Balkan foreign ministers.

Zbigniew Rau said, after the talks that took place in Rogalin, western Poland, that Poland and other V4 countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary) were steadfast in their support of the Western Balkan states' EU accession.

"I expressed Poland's unwavering support for EU enlargement, which we share with the V4 members," Rau said.

He added that the Western Balkan delegates expressed their disappointment over the slow progress in their countries' EU accession procedure.

“The frustration shown and expressed by the Western Balkan delegations is shared by us, the V4 foreign ministers," Rau said.

Rau added that delays in the Western Balkan countries' accession procedure lay in the interest of "third parties," whose agenda did not foresee their prompt EU membership. He added that this agenda "has nothing in common with social harmony and political stability."