“On behalf of the Bishops of the European Union, I wish to congratulate Ukraine and Moldova on the historic decisions taken yesterday by the European Council on the opening of EU accession negotiations, as well as Georgia for having been granted the status of a candidate country. I equally express my hope that accession negotiations can soon start with Bosnia and Herzegovina, once the necessary criteria have been achieved”, said Mgr Mariano Crociata, President of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), commenting in a statement on yesterday’s decision of the European Council regarding EU enlargement. “Yesterday’s decisions – the Bishop added – are a strong message of hope for the citizens of the countries aspiring for a future EU membership, who have long awaited this moment with faith, enduring hardships and sacrifices. In view of completing the European Union, a successful EU integration of the Western Balkan as well as the Eastern European countries is of strategic importance for stability, prosperity and peace on the European continent. A credible EU enlargement process, however, does not only require candidate countries to continue performing the necessary reforms, but it also implies that the Union itself needs to become ready to welcome new members soon. A larger and more diverse EU will not only have to re-think certain political, administrative and budgetary questions, but it will also need to rediscover our common value basis and the special bonds that unite us as a European family”.