The report was adopted with 57 votes in favor, five abstentions and seven against, said Picula, who in addition to his role as Rapporteur for the Recommendations, serves as coordinator of the Parliamentary Group of Socialists and Democrats on AFET, as well as the rapporteur for the IPA III Financial Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance and for Montenegro.
The key recommendations of the report are to ensure that the improved negotiation methodology has the full EU membership as its ultimate goal and that the EU provides clear and predictable rules and criteria and applies them consistently, Picula said.
"The Report adopted today by the European Parliament despite delays due to coronavirus is a clear message of support for the Western Balkan countries in their efforts and activities with a view to joining the European Union after meeting the criteria," Picula underscored.
"This is a clear sign of our support for the continuation of the enlargement process as a whole, to which we have given new credibility with this report," the Croatian MEP said.
Picula recalled that enlargement is one of the European Union’s most successful policies throughout its existence and its most powerful foreign policy tool for promoting democracy, prosperity and peace.
He stressed that democracy and the rule of law must be at the heart of the enlargement process, which means that the chapters on the judiciary, the fight against corruption and organised crime, as well as those on respect for human rights and freedom of the media, are the first ones to be opened and the last to be closed.
In addition, the report recommends making clear the benchmarks for progress and enabling Western Balkan countries to participate in EU sectoral policies and programs prior to full membership, through targeted financial support.
In order to ensure that reforms in the candidate countries are lasting and sustainable, the conditionality mechanism needs to be strengthened so that the negotiation process based on objective criteria can also be suspended in the event of non-compliance, Picula emphasised.
It is also of utmost importance to ensure closer cooperation between the European and the parliaments of the candidate countries, he said.