Han's message: Open borders and tone down rhetoric

European Commissioner Johannes Hahn has called on all Western Balkan states to open their borders for the unhindered flow of goods and to tone down rhetoric, reports the Patria news agency.

-I call on all Western Balkan countries to behave responsibly towards migrants, and especially not to close border crossings, Hahn told reporters ahead of today's meeting of the College of European Commissioners, without directly mentioning the case of Serbia and Croatia.

Hahn said that closing crossings for truck traffic has direct economic consequences for the entire region.

Asked to comment on the “customs war” between Serbia and Croatia, Hahn said that the EC “is trying to arbitrate”.

He stated that yesterday he spoke by phone with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vučić and Croatian chief diplomat Vesna Pusić, and also spoke with Minister of Labour and Social Policy Aleksandar Vulin, who was visiting Brussels.

-I know it is not easy, but now verbal disarmament is needed when it comes to statements and announcements, because harsh words do not help, he said.

Hahn stated that the EU is ready to help the Western Balkan countries, primarily Serbia and Macedonia, to cope with the refugee crisis, B92 reported.