17 June 2022

Region’s integration into EU necessary for overall progress

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic stated today at the Prespa Forum in Ohrid that integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union (EU) is necessary for the overall progress of the region.

Speaking at the panel of prime ministers “65 years after Treaty of Rome: is Europe fully economically reconstructed & integrated?”, Brnabic noted that the answer to the name of the panel should be “no” because the countries of the Western Balkans, which are surrounded by EU Member States, are still not part of the Union.

The Prime Minister called on EU Member States to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible and to accelerate the integration processes in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Speaking about the linking of the region, Brnabic pointed to the benefits of the Open Balkans Initiative and called again on all countries of the region to join in.

She underlined that the two main priorities of Serbia are entry into the EU and cooperation with countries of the region, adding that our country builds roads in order to promote the transport of goods, but also the flow of people and capital, both by motorway to North Macedonia and Bulgaria, and by building a motorway to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Once Serbia gets a new government, the number one issue will be the security of energy supply and the construction of a gas interconnector with North Macedonia and gas connections with Greece and Bulgaria, Brnabic said.

The Prespa Forum will be attended by a large number of officials from the region and representatives of European institutions, NGO sector, academic community, international organisations and other.