Pope Francis is in the news. In his recent speech in the European parliament, he lambasted the old and tired Europe. The subcontinent ought to be reawakened and reinvigorated, he argued. He touched upon many things, including horrors of migration. The Mediterranean is turning into a cemetery, he lamented. But the media in former Yugoslavia are reverberating with his words about the need to help into the European Union all countries that have asked to become its members:

Awareness of one’s own identity is necessary for entering into a positive dialogue with the states that have asked to become part of the Union in the future. I am thinking especially of those in the Balkans, for which membership in the Union could be a response to the desire for peace in a region that has suffered greatly from past conflicts. Awareness of one’s own identity is also indispensable for relations with other neighboring countries, particularly with those bordering the Mediterranean, many of which suffer from internal conflicts, the pressure of religious fundamentalism and the reality of global terrorism.

Not surprisingly, there is no mention in the Balkan media of the pope’s plea for good relations with countries bordering the Mediterranean beside those already in the Union. First of all, this includes Turkey, which has also asked to become a member of the Union. In addition, it includes Lebanon, Israel, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algiers, and Morocco. All these countries used to be part of Rome of old, it goes without saying. And this is where I very much agree with pope Francis. I would go a step further, though, and think of these countries as eventual members of the Union. Any idea of Europe worthy of note should focus on the Mediterranean as a whole, and without any exception.