May 25 (SeeNews) - The prime ministers of six countries of the Western Balkans have confirmed their commitment to keep working for the European Union integration at an informal meeting hosted by EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini, the EU's diplomatic service said late on Wednesday.
Federica Mogherini encouraged the leaders of Montenegro, Kosovo, Albania, Serbia, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to speed up the reforms, which would bring their countries closer to the EU future, the European External Action Service (EEAS) said in a statement.
"They [the prime ministers] reiterated their determination and strong shared interest in strengthening cooperation and bringing about tangible results for the lives of the citizens of the region," EEAS said.
The six prime ministers also emphasised their commitment to good neighbourly relations and deepening regional understanding through mutual respect and cooperation.
Political and ethnic tensions on the Balkans have heightened over the past year. Serbia and Kosovo are barely progressing in their dialogue while ethnic Albanian parties in Macedonia conditioned their participation in the country's new government with the implementation of a controversial programme, the so-called "Tirana platform". The document demands more rights for Macedonia's ethnic Albanians and seeks giving the Albanian language an official status in the country's state institutions alongside with the Macedonian language. The platform is seen by Macedonia's conservative politicians as a threat to the sovereignty and independence of the state.