Hahn: If EU gets wobbly in its commitments in Balkans, someone else could wrestle in

Princeton, 21 April 2017 (MIA) - If we were to get wobbly in our commitments in the Balkans, someone else could wrestle in, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in his speech 'Europe and the Crises in its Neighbourhood' at Princeton University.
'As we know, politics abhors a vacuum. If we were to get wobbly in our commitments in the Balkans, someone else could wrestle in – and that someone is actually already trying. In that sense, EU enlargement, with all conditions and criteria, is the best security policy the EU has ever had – just imagine where Poland, the Baltics or others would be today if we hadn't used the time-window of the 1990ies,' Hahn said.
At the same time, he said, the enlargement is not a free lunch. Only local leaders can do the job and deliver to their citizens. They must step up to the plate and build on the progress that has been made.
'We need to see political will instead of political games, and real reforms not on paper but on the ground – especially in the key areas of the rule of law, competitiveness and connectivity. That may endanger the business model of some individuals - but strategically, there is no alternative. Their citizens know that,' the EU Commissioner said.
The EU is 'by far the best game in town', Hahn concluded, 'but again, we all must be ready to play!
'We must be better – and tougher - at using our soft power of attraction. We can't take it for granted.