Split, 5 May 2017 – Member of the European Parliament, Željana Zovko, participated with MEPs Dubravka Šuica, Tonino Picula and Jozo Radoš at the international Congress of the European Law Students‘ Association (ELSA) in Split under the title “European Security and Terrorism in Time of Migrants’ Crisis“.
MEP Zovko stressed the importance of strengthening the resilience and capacities of the partner states to effects coming from the third, non-European countries in the Western Balkans area, where as she further pointed out to, a stronger involvement of the European Union is required, with the uttermost goal of advancing stability and security all over the European Union. She also commented on the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Impact of the third, non-European countries on the priorities of the Western Balkans countries in their domestic and foreign policy and their accession path to the European Union actually poses a threat to the Union itself, as those countries are its neighbours. Therefore, the European Union is expected to act more firmly in the Western Balkans countries, to encourage their EU aspirations and to urge them to implement the key institutional reforms in judiciary, fight against the organised crime and corruption and strengthening of free and unbiased media. If any of those countries happens to be deprived of the EU perspective, the third, non-European countries shall embrace it as an opportunity to spread their own influence in the area.“ – said Zovko.