Bregu: Time to define the future of our region

2024-02-29 14:22:00, Politikë CNA

In the joint statement of the Growth and Convergence Conference for the Western Balkans held today in Tirana, the leaders of the Western Balkan economies appreciated the work of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), underlined the region's commitment to integration and emphasized the importance of enhanced cooperation with the EU.

"The clock is ticking to determine the future of our region, which is currently working in two parallel streams. The first is the work on national reform agendas that advance the path to the EU, and the second is the deepening of regional economic integration between them, which is another important step towards access to the EU Single Market. The first has a clearly defined path by the EU, while the second is in progress, and the new phase of the Common Regional Market Action Plan (CRM ), which we are preparing in cooperation with all regional partners, aims to create a functional common market within the Western Balkans, as a prerequisite for a closer integration with the EU Single Market. Now is the time to think outside the box that what can happen next, how will we deepen and expand cooperation in the region, what can we all give together, so that in a few years we can ask the EU to offer us access to specific areas, after we have finished our homework", said the General Secretary, Majlinda Bregu.

The General Secretary of the RCC also warned of the need to avoid institutional overlaps, taking into account the great work required to implement the national reform agendas and the Regional Common Market Action Plan, stressing that synergy and harmonization between all parties involved , is essential.

The Leaders' Joint Declaration highlights the EU's Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as essential to joining the EU's Single Market and accelerating reforms. They acknowledged the importance of the Berlin Process Summit Conclusions in Tirana on October 16, 2023, noting the importance of regional cooperation, especially the transformative economic and social potential of the Common Regional Market, for unleashing the economic and social potential of the region as well as for its preparation to gradually enter the Single Market.

The meeting of BP leaders in Tirana comes as a continuation of the meeting held in Skopje last month, showing the persistence and commitment of the region to the implementation of the EU Growth Plan.

Before this meeting, the leaders of the Western Balkans met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy where they discussed deepening the cooperation between our region and Ukraine./ CNA