BLED, Slovenia, Aug. 31– Leaders from Central and Eastern Europe on Monday called for reform and enlargement of the European Union (EU) amid a rapidly changing global order at the Bled Strategic Forum, Slovenia’s major foreign policy gathering.
Prime Ministers Janez Jansa of Slovenia, Peter Magyar of Hungary, Andrej Plenkovic of Croatia and Petr Fiala of the Czech Republic said at a joint panel that the EU needs to strengthen its competitiveness and economic development, better manage illegal migration and accelerate the enlargement process.
“If the European Union does not enlarge, someone else will at our expense,” Jansa said, without elaborating.
The EU has not admitted a new member since Croatia joined in 2013. Six countries, mainly from the Western Balkans, are currently at various stages of the EU accession process.
Jansa also criticized what he called the EU’s “forced green transition,” arguing that strict environmental standards had contributed to the relocation of industries from Europe to Southern Asia, hurting the bloc’s economy and increasing its dependence on products from other countries.
In contrast, Slovenian President Natasa Pirc Musar said at another panel that the EU and the international community should seek common solutions to climate change, stressing that the issue should not be left to pragmatism alone.
The two-day forum continues Tuesday with discussions on the future of Europe and the era of multi-alignment.
The 21st Bled Strategic Forum is being held under the theme “The Power to Shape the Future.” Launched in 2006, the forum is jointly organized by Slovenia’s Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the Centre for European Perspective.
It has become a major regional platform for dialogue on international and security issues, bringing together political leaders, diplomats, scholars and business representatives to discuss Europe’s future amid a changing global order. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
