NEWS
PM attends Conference on Western Balkans in Berlin
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Slovenia, Alenka Bratušek, attended the Conference on the Western Balkans hosted by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Prime ministers, foreign ministers and economic minister from all countries of the Western Balkans, Germany, Slovenia and Austria, the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle, and the European Commissioner for Energy, Günther Oettinger, attended the conference. Also present at the event was the French special envoy for the Western Balkans, Alain Richard. In addition to the Prime Minister, Slovenian representatives included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Karl Erjavec, and the Minister of Economic Development and Technology, Metod Dragonja.
The prime ministers of participating countries mainly discussed the political situation in the region and continuation of regional cooperation, whereas, in separate meetings, the ministers focused on EU prospects of the countries of the Western Balkans, infrastructure, energy and tourism. At the conference, PM Alenka Bratušek stressed that the Western Balkans was, without a doubt, developing and becoming closer to the European Union. “I believe that the conference, which is taking place in Berlin today, is another step towards political stabilisation of the situation in the Western Balkans, its development and getting closer to the European Union. I am glad that the conference is taking place hand in hand with our Brdo process,” said the PM.
The concrete aspects or proposals highlighted by the Prime Minister at the conference, which are particularly important for Slovenia, are improving infrastructure so as to establish better connections within the region and with the neighbouring countries, which will bring the region closer to the EU, such as modernisation of the railway line from Munich to Istanbul, via Ljubljana, Zagreb and Belgrade, the future of young people in these countries and strengthened cooperation in the area of energy. In addition to economic cooperation, the issues discussed at the conference included outstanding political issues in the region, which have prevented complete stabilisation and progress. In this respect, it is particularly important to address the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and bring the country closer to Euro-Atlantic organisations. “I am convinced that the future of the countries of the Western Balkans lies in the EU and that such events significantly contribute to making this a reality,” said the PM.