Marta Kos says whole Western Balkans should become part of Europe
At the Corridor 8 ministerial in Sofia, Kos linked more than 130 transport projects to a political vision of full integration.
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos arrived in Sofia to take part in the International Ministerial Conference on Corridor 8 and used the opening moments to outline a long-term political vision for the region.
“Today we are here to work on better connections for the people of tomorrow,” Kos said on arrival, linking the conference’s technical agenda to broader social and economic goals.
She described Bulgaria as “a gateway to Europe for the Black Sea region, as well as for Turkey,” and stressed the connecting role of the Western Balkans. Kos noted that the region already has more than 130 projects underway, including construction of new roads and railways and improvements to border crossings.
Vision beyond infrastructure
Turning from immediate projects to the political horizon, Kos said her mandate reaches beyond infrastructure alone: “But my vision as Commissioner for Enlargement goes much further. My vision is that one day the entire Western Balkans will be part of our Europe.”
She argued that when that goal is achieved, border checkpoints and transport links discussed at the conference will have a different meaning, because “we will be one Europe.” Kos added that this is the direction being pursued in Brussels, at the Sofia conference, across the Western Balkans and within EU member states.
Photo: press material from the event
