(ANSA-AFP) - BRDO, OCT 6 - "The EU reiterates its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans." Enlargement is "a mutual strategic interest and remains a shared strategic choice," reads the European leaders' joint statement at the end of the EU-Balkans summit in Slovenia.

The Union "reaffirms its commitment to enlargement and reiterates that all decisions will be made consequently to the implementation of credible reforms" by the Balkan partners, reads the statement. "Our will is to move forward with the enlargement process," the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, underlined.

"At the EU summit - said Italy's Prime Minister Mario Draghi - the first in-person meeting after the pandemic, we took stock of the EU accession process in these countries and more generally of enlargement. Almost all the states have expressed the need for this process to continue and gain momentum, which it seems to have lost." "Much time has passed - he added - especially for some countries: the Commission is committed to providing a document that should describe in detail the EU accession process of these countries." (ANSA-AFP).