EU envoy, 'Union never so determined on enlargement'

(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 14 APR - For Miroslav Lajcak, EU special envoy for the Western Balkans and mediator in the Kosovo dialogue, the next European Commission will devote even more attention to enlargement, with the prospect of integrating the countries of the region never so clear and realistic in the past 20 years. "The European Union is more ready than ever, and it is important that the Balkans do not miss now the train that could be the only one to hook accession," Lajcak said speaking today at the Economic Forum in Delphi, Greece. The prediction, he added quoted by media in Belgrade, is that the new Commission that will take office after the June elections will devote even more attention to the enlargement process. Noting how "Russia's aggression against Ukraine was like an invitation to wake up," Lajcak said he sees "for the first time the European Union more prepared towards the Balkans than the Balkans towards the European Union, being (the Balkans) very skeptical." Referring to the Kosovo issue, however, the Slovak diplomat stressed that the EU has made it very clear that it does not intend to import "unresolved problems and outstanding bilateral issues" into the EU. Such problems will have to be resolved before EU accession, Lajcak warned. (ANSA).