By CEV Magazine team

German Chancellor Angela Merkel`s statement on how she backs the consolidation phase of the European Union rather than the new member-states association has provoked certain displeasures in Brussels and Prague, while Western Balkans` political elite has ignored the German Christian Democratic Party`s (CDU) election platform. Although some influential politicians in Germany and several old EU members have been opting for this idea for quite some time, the identification of such platform on the eve of the European Parliament elections implies that the unsolved issues regarding the Lisbon Treaty as well as the current economic crisis have made a significant impact on enthusiasm concerning further EU enlargement.

But in respect of questions relating Western Balkans states` fear that their ambitions toward EU future might become blur, Merkel explains that CDU doesn`t support this scenario.

"We don`t want this, but no one is well served in a Europe that can`t keep up with integrations and takes on too many members in short period. Therefore, we say that we have Croatia and its accession talks in our sight. But we must also see that, with the Lisbon Treaty, we hopefully get a certain consolidation phase in terms of integrations," Merkel said during the CDU`s party conference in Berlin.

The attitude regarding the temporary suspension of EU enlargement after Croatia`s acceptance has been already included in CDU`s programme for EU parliamentary election. Of all official candidates, Croatia is the closest to the full membership status and, according to the estimates of the officials in Zagreb, it can be achieved in 2010 or in 2011. However, Croatia`s negotiations with Brussels have been interrupted due to the state border disputes with the neighbouring Slovenia.

According to the CDU`s election programme, the expansion from 15 to 27 members within few years was huge exertion for the European Union, therefore this party supports the standstill for an indeterminate period of time.

Angela Merkel explains that CDU encourages the Croatia`s acceptance, while in case of Turkey this political party opts for "privileged partnership" status. As for the rest of Western Balkans states, Merkel points out that the EU association perspective remains opened.

"We are aware that the stability of the Western Balkans` complex structure may be possible only on the basis of European perspective. Rest assure that we - the countries that have sent soldiers and have thus significantly contributed to the stability of the region - recognise the regional progress as our interest. As regards that, CDU`s election programme changes absolutely nothing," Merkel said.

As reaction to Merkel`s statement, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that the European Union must not freeze the plans for Western Balkans countries` association. According to Rehn, EU membership perspectives could certainly lead to political stability and economic reforms in countries of the region, therefore the financial crisis and troubles regarding the Lisbon Treaty ratification on institutional reforms of the EU need not to derange the efforts for enlargement.

"EU can simultaneously take care of a number of issues", announced Rehn.

Italian and Slovenian Ministers of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini and Samuel Zbogar have also underlined the importance of Western Balkans` European perspective, as well as the Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who currently presides over EU. During his recent visit to Macedonia and Montenegro, Topolanek said that Czech Republic, despite the economic crisis, does not give up on Western Balkans` Eurointegration acceleration, saying that he`ll do whatever it takes to make sure this process does not stumble.

Topolanek`s attitude coincides with the Czech public opinion - as the Czech EU Presidency poll shows, the majority (67 percent) has supported the EU expansion to Western Balkans countries.

In an article recently published in Polish daily Gazeta Wyborcza, the British Foreign Minister David Miliband has confronted the suspension of the further EU enlargement, insisting that it considers not only Western Balkans countries, but Island and Ukraine as well.

"We must re-energise our relations with our neighbours because this crisis has shown clearly that how exposed we are to the problems beyond our borders", Miliband wrote, adding that "whatever the temptations, we cannot afford to turn inwards".

Serbian analysts have characterised differently these news from Brussels: some see it as a tactics for speeding-up Croatia`s Eurointegration process, and some believe that the situation within the EU will change before Serbia`s membership will be taken into consideration. However, all of them agree that CDU`s attitude should not discourage Serbia and other neighbouring countries in implementing reforms according to the plan.

Reforms and the fulfilment of the criteria have been underlined by CDU`s functionaries, particularly those regarding the freedom of though, gender equality, minority protection and religious rights. These criteria, according to Chancellor Merkel, will not be modified, but regional countries are put before problems they need to resolve, and that is why each of them will face European perspective in different moments.

Hans-Gert Poetering, President of the European Parliament and CDU member, estimates that this process will endure much longer in some countries.

"The beginning of this process should encourage the regional countries to continue with the transformation of the society and political reforms. It is not an immediate process, it will take much longer," said the President of the European Parliament, which was commented by some German media as a discrete message referred to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia.