Slovenia outlines Marshal Plan on Balkans

Publication: Makfax News English
Date: November 16, 2007


Pristina, 16.11.2007. (Makfax) - Slovenia, which is to take-over the rotating EU presidency in January 2008, pressed ahead with plans to draw up a common European position over the Balkans, Pristina's daily Koha Ditore said. The paper quotes Borut Grgic, director of Ljubljana-based Institute for Strategic Studies, as saying that Slovenia will try to build a common policy on Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia. Grgic said the plan is likely to be similar with the U.S. Marshall Plan on Europe following the World War II, adding that now it's time to set up foundations of such plan, to secure the needed funds and resources, otherwise the crisis might deepen if Europe continues with slow moves regarding the Balkans. A prerequisite of all prerequisites is to resolve the Kosovo's status, and at the same time the problems in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and in Macedonia, because "Slovenia sees the Balkans as one package and Europe shouldn't practice a partial approach. "This means Kosovo to become independent, Serbia should be assisted to join EU, Bosnia should be assisted to find the European track through definition of its constitution and transformation into single entity, and Macedonia should be helped ...to bridge inner turmoil," Grgic said.