The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Hon. Antonio Tajani, chairs the Ministerial Meeting on the Western Balkans on 3 April in Rome. The European Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, Oliver Varhelyi, the Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, as rotating President of the Council of the European Union, and the Foreign Ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo , North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia.
“The Italian Government wanted to deploy an all-out foreign policy action in the Western Balkans in the awareness that the future of Europe is decided here”, underlined the Deputy Prime Minister, according to which “we must accelerate the process of European integration of the Countries of the region”. “The meeting that I wanted to host in Rome”, he continued, “also serves to foster dialogue and regional cooperation. There is a strong demand for Italy in this region, and the Government is at the forefront alongside our Balkan friends”.
After an initial discussion between the Foreign Ministers on the path of European integration of the countries of the Western Balkans, there will be a discussion on how to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region and the European Union. In the afternoon, the work will continue with some round tables at expert level on the topics of climate change, conservation of cultural heritage and technological innovation in the agri-food sector.
Also on the afternoon of 3 April, Deputy Prime Minister Tajani, together with Swedish Foreign Minister Billström, will open a conference organized by the Farnesina together with the Istituto Affari Internazionali and the Observatory for the Balkans, Caucasus and Transeuropa entitled “New vision for the Western Balkans: EU accession and regional security”, which will continue on the morning of 4 April. The event – which will see the participation of the Ministers of the six Western Balkan countries and EU representatives, experts and representatives of civil society – intends to promote an informal exchange on the medium-term political and economic prospects of the Balkan region and on concrete initiatives of cooperation between the countries of the region and the members of the EU.
Source: Esteri
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