During the second day of the informal GYMNICH meeting in Vienna, the EU foreign ministers confirmed that they are continuing work on the priority of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU – the integration of the Western Balkans.

The meeting was joined by the foreign ministers of the candidate countries.

“We expect to see progress on visa liberalization for Kosovo. We attach great importance to the future name-change referendum in the Republic of Macedonia and a launch of negotiations on the accession of Macedonia and Albania, as decided during Bulgaria’s Presidency of the Council of the EU,” Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva said.

During discussion of migration issues, Minister Zaharieva stressed that in resolving the problem it is important that the EU maintain a balanced geographic approach.