James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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7. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on exchange of views on the western Balkans at the June 2024 EU Foreign Affairs Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27277/24]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Tánaiste touched on the western Balkans. I commend my colleague Deputy Crowe. It is a very interesting proposal to broaden the pool. We have heard a lot of discussion this morning of bloodshed and slaughter in Gaza but we have not heard any reference yet this morning to the bloodshed, slaughter and territorial attacks that are happening in Ukraine. My question goes to the western Balkans, the legacy issue and of course the slaughter that took place there in the late 1990s, which was saved by the West, dare I say, and the international community coming to the rescue of that annihilation. What is the status of the accession talks for the western Balkan states as per the recent meeting?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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At the Foreign Affairs Council on 24 June, I met with my counterparts from the western Balkans to discuss shared challenges for Europe in foreign and security policy. The EU and the western Balkans have built up a positive track record of co-operation in foreign and security policy. We discussed the region’s high rate of Common Foreign and Security Policy, CFSP, alignment, and the important contribution that armed forces from the western Balkans are making to EU Common Security and Defence Policy missions. Western Balkans Ministers noted that aligning with CFSP comes at a cost, including increased risk of hybrid attacks. We agreed that in that context, initiatives such as the new growth plan for the western Balkans are needed and justified.

Ireland believes that the EU and western Balkans countries need to intensify their co-operation to tackle global challenges, such as support for Ukraine’s defence against Russian aggression, and the security consequences of climate change. Our new embassies in Belgrade, Sarajevo and Chisinau, to open in 2025, will enable us to increase our engagement across the region. It is essential that attempts by external actors to undermine the peace and progress that have been carefully built in the western Balkans do not succeed. Missions such as EUFOR Althea and KFOR, where Irish Defence Forces serve, continue to play an essential role.

At this week's Foreign Affairs Council, I also emphasised that parties within the region must utilise the dialogue channels open to them to comprehensively resolve disputes. I made it very clear at this meeting with the western Balkans countries that Ireland will continue its strong support for the EU membership perspective of countries in the region in accordance with the established criteria. Montenegro seems to be making particular progress, and North Macedonia as well.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I recall that in 2004 when Ireland held the EU Presidency, by chance I happened to be in Dublin Airport and saw the flags of the accession states as the EU enlarged massively along its eastern border. That was very positive - former Soviet bloc countries embracing democracy and the economic success of the EU. Enlargement generally has been positive. It is spreading the wings of the EU further afield. However, we have to treat carefully with the western Balkans. It is not a homogenous bloc. It has its own issues. I am particularly concerned about the attitude of Serbia and its approach to Russia, with which it has ongoing connections, its reluctance to condemn or sanction Russia and its implicit approval, it seems, of Russia's actions. As is also evidenced by its attitude to Kosovo and the territorial claims it advances, Serbia appears to have the Russian attitude of territorial domination and of a wider state or empire under its remit. This is problematic. Enlargement cannot be a one-way street. We have to ensure that accession states have the values of liberal democracy, free and fair elections, respect for territorial integrity, and judicial independence. These are values that our own party enshrined in our own constitution recently under the aims and objectives. They are fundamental to European democracy and liberal democracy. We need to tread carefully. We do not want fifth columnists coming into the ranks.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for his remarks. He asked earlier about the enlargement agenda. This week the EU will confirm that Montenegro has made all of its interim benchmarks on rule of law reforms. This is a significant achievement and clears the way for Montenegro to close additional negotiating chapters confirming its position as accession front-runner. I hope this acts as an inspiration to Montenegro's neighbours that reform efforts will be rewarded by the EU. We are also hopeful that the new Government of North Macedonia can implement the necessary constitutional amendment to allow its candidacy to move forward. The new North Macedonian Foreign Minister reiterated that EU integration is his Government's overriding objective. The European Union has rewarded Bosnia and Herzegovina for its accelerated reform efforts, including by granting candidate status in December 2022 and opening accession negotiations in March 2024. There are continuing issues around tensions within Serbia and Kosovo. I note the Deputy's comments in respect of Serbia. We have concerns in respect of its alignment with EU policies.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate that it is a delicate balance and that there is a degree of carrot and stick involved. Much as we want to reach out and reward those democratic initiatives that are in play in Serbia, elections which were questionable were contested before Christmas. Looking beyond the Balkans, places like Belarus have democratic oppositions that are in exile. Moldova is less problematic democratically but is economically turbulent. It often piggy-backs on Romania in order to get access to the EU. There is a massive benefit in encouraging economic growth and democratic activity in those states. We need to encourage the good actors in those accession territories by reaching out the hand of friendship and saying, "Join the club." However, we must do so in a way that does not reward or allow access to others. We have seen how problematic Hungary has been in terms of undermining EU values and giving others a foot in the door.

I appreciate that it is a difficult balance throughout. We need to continue rewarding the positive factions within those states while at the same time not allowing free access to our democratic Union for others that may have more malign intentions.

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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Before the Tánaiste comes in, a Theachta Durkan, you wanted to come in.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Thank you, a Leas-Cheann Comhairle. I ask the Tánaiste whether the invasion by Russia of Ukraine has in any way impacted the accession talks for the other countries in the western Balkans that have been scheduled for EU accession. Similarly, has the progress towards extending potential membership to Ukraine been in any way affected by the same invasion?

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am a passionate believer in enlargement, notwithstanding all the challenges that come with it and that Deputy Lawless outlined in terms of rule of law and alignment. As regards the constant challenges, it is clear that the populations of many of these countries want to be in the EU and want the norms we have in democracy and economic development and the Single Market benefits that brings.

There is no doubt that the war in Ukraine has been a major catalyst for this new phase of enlargement. I would argue that the European Union, after the last big enlargement, slowed down the pace. I have sympathy with the countries of the western Balkans, such as Montenegro and North Macedonia. They have been waiting a long time. They are being kept on the long finger. Geopolitically, it is essential that we proceed at pace with enlargement because in its absence a vacuum emerges, and Russia will exploit that vacuum, as it has done in respect of Ukraine. There is no doubt that the acceleration of the Ukrainian candidacy, which I strongly supported as Taoiseach at the EU Council, has helped the western Balkans in their application processes.