The EU would thus complete the process of reform and Europeanisation of the Western Balkans in the three countries currently excluded from the stabilisation and association process, Potocnik said in a piece London's Financial Times ran on Friday.
The progress achieved by Croatia and Macedonia should inspire Serbia-Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia-Herzegovina to overcome the difficulties they have with organised crime and corruption due to a poor administrative and legal framework, said Potocnik.
He added that anyone visiting Serbia-Montenegro could see why the Western Balkans must remain a high European priority.
Potocnik said the EU could not allow to have before its doors a region of instability with 25,000 international peace keepers where, he added, despite headway made in the last three years the possibility of war was not inconceivable.
He went on to say that Serbia-Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia-Herzegovina should be helped with an accelerated inclusion in the stabilisation and association process, but without reducing the criteria the European Commission defined for the process in Copenhagen in 1993.
The first priority in the next two years is the continuation and completion of stabilisation and association agreements, which is the first step in the meeting of the EU's long term commitments to the region, said Potocnik.
He added Serbia-Montenegro, Albania, and Bosnia-Herzegovina would have to reach a high level of political consensus at home on the necessary reforms as well as set up strong democratic institutions and a capable administration. He also said that concluding stabilisation and association agreements with these countries would enable them to receive EU political and financial assistance they needed to carry out reforms.
Potocnik went on to say that countries undergoing the process of Europeanisation saw accelerated admission and the prospect of joining the EU as a reward which, after economic stabilisation, enabled them to focus on the creation of conditions for a higher and sustainable economic growth which met EU standards.