European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen uploaded a message on social media from Athens focusing on European enlargement on Monday ahead of the dinner hosted by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens on the issue.
“We need to bring our friends, the aspiring members of the EU much closer to us and much faster,” said von der Leyen, adding that she is “glad to be in Athens to discuss the European perspective of our neighbors and partners in the East and the Western Balkans.”
“We will keep bringing down barriers between our regions,” she concluded.
The Greek premier is scheduled to host an informal dinner joined by leaders from the Western Balkans and EU member states. The gathering will revolve around matters concerning regional enlargement and the European trajectory of the area, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the EU-Western Balkans Summit and the Thessaloniki Declaration.
Present at the dinner will be next to the EU Commission president also the President of the European Council Charles Michel, the Prime Ministers of Romania, Croatia, Moldova, Montenegro, Kosovo and the President of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is recalled that Albania, which was invited at the level of the President, will not be represented. The leader of Slovenia was also unable to respond positively.
Also Ukrainian president Volodimir Zelensky will attend the dinner on Monday and will have joint statements with Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, state broadcaster ERT reported.
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