The Czech Republic has voiced its support for new rounds of European Union enlargement as the country prepares to celebrate 20 years since its own entry into the bloc.
Expansion is a “geostrategic necessity,” Czech President Petr Pavel said at a press conference in Prague on Tuesday, together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
“If we leave the countries of the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia on our doorstep for too long, we will leave them at the mercy of actors like Russia, who do not mean well at all for the Europeans and Europe,” Pavel warned . former Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.
“These countries want to belong to the West,” the Czech Prime Minister said Peter Fiala. “Let’s give them this opportunity and make the most of the opportunities that the expansion offers,” he added.
Pavel called on the candidate countries to prepare seriously for future accession. The Czech Republic could help potential members by sharing its own experiences, he said.
The president also pushed for EU reforms, saying the union could “certainly” improve.
