Tineke Strik (Verts/ALE). – Madam President, summit after summit, we are presented with heartwarming words about how the Union is not complete without the Western Balkans. But the fact is that we have let down the region for the past 20 years due to internal struggles, disinterest and for electoral gains.

We desperately need action, gradual integration into our single market. Massive green investments ‑ make citizens feel the benefits of the EU. But we also need to talk with one voice. A voice that consistently prioritises democratic reforms and respect for European values, that rejects ethnic divisions and backsliding of the rule of law, that defends the rights of the citizens, who are our true allies.

For real integration into the EU, we must prove our credibility, and that means ensuring that the citizens of the Western Balkans enjoy the same freedoms and prosperity as we do, and that we act in unity to achieve this. This is the only way.