German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday rejected calls to set a date for the accession of Western Balkans countries into the European Union.
"I don't really believe in setting dates, I believe in making good on our promises: Once the conditions are met the accession can take place," Merkel told reporters after the EU's Balkans summit in Slovenia.
A deadline would put the EU under pressure, no matter if Western Balkans fulfilled the conditions set out by the 27-nation bloc or not, she said.
(Reporting by Sabine Siebold in Brdo and Paul Carrel in Berlin)
