Mogherini sees 2018 as "crucial year for Balkans"

EU foreign policy and security chief Federica Mogherini thinks 2018 will be "a crucial year for the Balkans."

Writing on her website, federicamogherini.net, the EU official singled out "12 special moments marking 2017 that she brings with her into the new year."

The third on the list - after "Relaunching our Union, starting with defense," and, "At work with Africa for migrants" - is "The Balkans' path towards our Union."

"It was not an easy year in the Balkans," Mogherini writes.

"I visited the six capitals of the region in one of the most difficult moments - in some cases, a moment of deep political crisis (I wrote about that trip here). Today, thanks to bold decisions and to some great work we did together, those crises have been addressed and mostly solved."

According to her, "the path towards reforms has restarted (although there is still much work...