VIENNA (Sputnik) – The European Union will become a "complete" bloc only after the Western Balkan states join the union, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has stated.

"We have strong historical, economic, political, cultural and human ties. We think that the European Union is only complete when the Western Balkan countries are part of the European Union. That is why we support the Western Balkan countries on their way to the European Union," Kurz said after a working meeting with the heads of government of the Western Balkan states in Vienna.

The chancellor added that during the meeting the parties also focused on three issues: the Western Balkan's path to the European Union, regional cooperation and solutions to bilateral conflicts.

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The statement has been made after the chancellor's meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade where Kurz said that the European Union will be complete when the Western Balkans countries join it and that Austria was making every effort to support Serbia's EU accession bid.

The European Union has granted four Western Balkan states with the status of official EU candidate — Albania, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro.

In February 2016, Bosnia and Herzegovina also submitted a bid to join the European Union. The partially recognized Republic of Kosovo also seeks EU membership.