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'No shortcuts or exceptions for EU membership' - Fico says he's 'glad' Ukraine wasn’t discussed at Western Balkan summit

"Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico on Thursday said he was pleased that Ukraine's European Union membership bid was not discussed at a summit of Western Balkan leaders, while urging Brussels to accelerate accession talks with Serbia and accusing some member states of repeatedly creating obstacles to enlargement. "I am glad that Ukraine was not discussed at all today," Fico told reporters after the EU-Western Balkans summit in Montenegro, saying discussions had focused exclusively on countries from the region. Fico reiterated Slovakia's position that EU membership should be based strictly on meeting accession criteria and rejected any special treatment for candidate countries. "There can be no shortcuts and no exceptions. No one can become a member of the European Union simply because they may currently be a favourite of the international community, without fulfilling the required conditions," he said. The Slovak leader singled out Montenegro, Serbia and Albania as the countries best prepared to join the bloc, arguing their accession would benefit both the candidates and the EU. Fico also called for the opening of the so-called third negotiating cluster in Serbia's accession talks, covering competitiveness and inclusive growth, saying Belgrade had long met the conditions for the step. "Someone keeps putting up more and more obstacles," he continued. "Therefore, I think it will be such a never-ending story even today." Asked about a recent drone incident in Romania, Fico said he lacked sufficient information to determine exactly what had happened but warned that lack of dialogue could lead to wider instability. "When normal dialogue functions, these things can be clarified. […] This is how World War Three could begin. Through drones like these, whether intentionally or unintentionally straying off course," he said. On Friday morning, a suspected Ukrainian military sea drone self-destructed in Romania's Black Sea port of Constanta. Kiev accused Russia of jamming the vessel, causing it to deviate off course."