00:00This summit is coming in a very important momentum, when clearly Montenegro is doing very well.
00:07We have already approved the Working Party to start drafting the accession treaty.
00:13Last week we have a new intergovernmental conference with Albania,
00:19and the Commission this week proposed to close three chapters in the Albanian negotiations.
00:25We will discuss new proposals to accelerate this process.
00:30To avoid precisely this idea that we are not going so well, because it's not a reality,
00:37but it's very important to increase the trust in the European Union,
00:43and increase also the motivation in the candidate states to be very clear that we are moving forward,
00:49and we want to deliver on this process.
00:52And you mention Montenegro. Of course we've been in the streets of this beautiful town,
00:56and they all say it's 28 by 28. They believe they will hit this deadline.
01:01Is that the case when you've had your conversations bilateral this week?
01:04Well, they are doing very well.
01:05Well, now it's possible to close half the chapters before summer,
01:12and then we have three very hard-working months to try to close by the end of this year.
01:19And of course in 2027, the first half of the year, we are more focused on the electoral elections in
01:28different countries,
01:28but for sure the second part of the year, we can come back on this issue.
01:34And if everything is okay, it will be possible.
01:39It's not impossible to be the 28th member states in 2028.
01:44And, President, some would argue because enlargement is now needed, and you say it yourself,
01:48it is a geopolitical imperative, some suggest the time to really think outside of the box has really come.
01:55Enlargement will be about merit.
01:57But maybe perhaps it's time to look at solutions as reverse membership,
02:01perhaps step-by-step membership has been signaled.
02:04There's the idea of joining without a veto.
02:07What's thinking outside the box for you?
02:09Now, there are different things.
02:10First, the process is merit-based and will remain merit-based.
02:16Other thing is to simplify the proceedings.
02:20Perhaps you can reduce the moments when we take decisions.
02:24To streamline it.
02:24To streamline it.
02:25This is one thing.
02:26Other thing, finally, is the transitional period.
02:31We learn from the previous enlargement process that we always adopted transitional clauses,
02:39on policies like agriculture, freedom of movement, and so on.
02:45And now, because we are talking about a very challenging enlargement,
02:51perhaps we need also transitional clauses on institutional matters.
02:55But it's early to discuss this.
02:58But it's important, for instance, the President Vucic and Prime Minister Rama came publicly some months ago,
03:07proposing some ideas.
03:09Chancellor Mertz also.
03:11And for sure, we will discuss a proposal from France and Germany to simplify the proceedings
03:20to move forward in this enlargement process.
03:24What it says to me is that there is an appetite to explore different solutions.
03:29Is that something that you also feel?
03:31This, perhaps there's not a landing zone yet, but ultimately that is a direction of travel.
03:37This enlargement will be different.
03:38All of these discussions about the proceedings, about the transitional period, about the simplification,
03:46our rules to work, all of these shows our common ambition to deliver as soon as possible
03:52in this enlargement process.
03:54This shows the really willing will of the member states and also the candidates
04:01to join the EU and to achieve this enlargement.
04:05And, President, you have been on a tour of the region.
04:08You were in Serbia.
04:10You spoke with the Serbian president, Aleksandr Vucic.
04:13Of course, this is a country that is fundamental when you look at the Western Balkans.
04:17But some would argue, and the commission says it openly, that not only the process is not moving ahead,
04:21there's actual serious backsliding in fundamental questions like the judiciary, the media, as you cited.
04:27These are key parts of a democracy.
04:28What was your one-on-one conversation with Aleksandr Vucic?
04:32It's true that last January they stepped back on the judiciary, but now they are changing the law.
04:39Are you confident they will do it this time?
04:41They are doing, and they are full committed to comply with the recommendations from the Venice Commission.
04:50The Venice Commission has a meeting the next 12th of June, and immediately after,
04:57they will approve the new law to correct what they made in last January on the judiciary.
05:04And do you trust that President Vucic will do it this time around?
05:08Because some would argue there have been many promises made in the past, but actually not delivered.
05:12When you sat down with him privately, did you make it clear?
05:15It's you now that needs to move.
05:17It's not a matter of faith.
05:18It's very simple.
05:20They know what they need to do, and we are here to verify if they do or if they don't
05:25do.
05:26If they do, we move forward.
05:28If they don't do, we're still blocked.
05:30My conviction, as everybody understood, is there remains a problem with the body who needs to regulate the freedom of
05:40press.
05:41And this is an ongoing process with the civil society and with the government.
05:46And you stress that to him?
05:47Yes, of course.
05:48And just on a different final point now, of course, this week there have been major developments when it comes
05:54to Ukraine and Moldova,
05:57also by extension, on their negotiations, opening the formal talks.
06:01Now Hungary has dropped that veto.
06:04What does that mean for the European Union and ultimately for the three countries?
06:07I think it's very important, first of all, for the bilateral relations between Hungary and Ukraine.
06:13And Prime Minister Magyar announced that he believed that in three weeks they are in conditions to release the veto
06:24and we can move forward.
06:26We are very advanced.
06:27And I believe that it's possible to open and at the same time close immediately several chapters because they have
06:35already done what they need to do to close the chapters.
06:40This is a huge symbolic moment for Ukraine.
06:43This process had been stuck for three years.
06:45This is, if it happens and materializes, is the start of something new.
06:49What does that say to you?
06:50Where is this union going?
06:52Does it mean it's a return to 27 unanimity?
06:55What do you read politically out of this?
06:56Look, I personally, I believe that we don't need to have the unanimity to open chapters and clusters.
07:04We just need the unanimity to close chapters and clusters.
07:09Secondly, that the bilateral issues should be, must be addressed for the different countries in order to don't block an
07:22entire process.
07:23And it's very positive that Prime Minister Magyar gave this clear sign that we are now leading with a new
07:31government, with a new policy in Hungary and with a new attitude of Hungary in the European Union.
07:39And just last thing, your final summit with Viktor Orban in attendance, you said nobody can blackmail the European Council.
07:46Do you feel validated?
07:47Well, the Hungarians understood.
07:49If Viktor Orban believed that someone in Hungary will rewind him for trying to block a decision of the European
08:01Council, he was wrong.
08:03Well, President Costa, thank you so much for joining us.
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