"(...) Many obstacles remain on the way that leads from association with the EU to full membership, ranging from the issue of Kosovo and dealing with the legacy of war crimes to relations with ethnic minorities. Open societies in the European sense are here only in the early stages of development. There remain old debts that are being repaid with difficulty; new visions are still to be explored. At the same time, we must no forget that only a short time has passed since blood was being spilled in the countries of former Yugoslavia and fear and terror were ubiquitous. It was above all the prospect of the European project for peace and prosperity which provided a convincing, peaceful alternative to these brutal conflicts. The integration of the Western Balkans into the EU therefore also represents a massive improvement in security for all of Europe (with the historical irony that the various republics of Tito's Yugoslavia will ultimately be 're-united' under the European roof)."