Schallenberg and Friends of the Western Balkans Group Launch Initiative

Together with the Friends of the Western Balkans group, Austria’s Foreign Minister, Alexander Schallenberg, has launched an initiative aiming to reduce the influence of China and Russia in Southeast Europe, as well as to link Balkan countries closer with the EU.

The initiative should be useful for both sides, Beta reported on Monday, adding that it should enable EU candidates to more vocally articulate their requests and, at the same time, develop greater solidarity and European unity over foreign policy issues that, according to Austria-based media, is still not highlighted in some countries.

That should provide adjustment of the EU’s common foreign and security policy, according to the document, presented on Monday at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in Brussels.

Schallenberg presented the Group in June. Austria had founded it together with Greece, Italy, Croatia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic.