Balkan neighbours back Serbia’s EU bid

SOFIA, Bulgaria – The prime ministers of three Balkan countries have voiced support for Serbia’s bid to join the European Union, saying it would guarantee peace and security in the region.

Bulgaria’s Boiko Borisov, Alexis Tsipras of Greece, Mihai Tudose of Romania and Serbian President Alexander Vucic met on Tuesday in the Black Sea city of Varna to discuss joint infrastructure projects and economic and energy co-operation, crisis management and security issues.

Bulgaria, which will take over the six-month rotating EU presidency in January, has declared the integration of the Western Balkans as its priority.

Serbia hopes to complete negotiations on its EU entry by 2019 but its position on Kosovo is seen as a hurdle by Brussels.

Vucic on Tuesday said there was a problem of double standards, noting the EU’s position against Catalan independence but that most of its members had recognized Kosovo’s independence.