Belgrade – Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Economies of the Western Balkans is of great importance for Serbia, but also for the whole region, not only because of the European integration, but also because of the message sent, in the atmosphere of stormy passions, following last week’s incident at the match Serbia-Albania, that cooperation is stronger than violence and that problems can be solved just by talking, say Danas’s interviewees.
The event, which was held yesterday at the Hotel Metropol, first time after the declaration of independence, was attended and by the official delegation of Kosovo. In the delegation were Head of the Kosovo Foreign Ministry, Enver Hoxhaj and Minister for Economic Development Fadil Ismaili, which is particularly important for the continuation of the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The Albanian delegation at the meeting was represented by Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati and Minister of Economic Development, Trade and Entrepreneurship Arben Ahmetaj. Their arrival is significant considering the postponed Edi Rama’s visit, Albanian Prime Minister.
The meeting on “Economic management and connectivity”, in addition to representatives of Kosovo, Albania and Serbia attended and the foreign ministers and ministers of economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM and Montenegro, as well as Vice President of the EC Jyrki Katainen and outgoing EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, special Representative of the Italian presidency of the EU Andrea Orizio, and Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Goran Svilanovic. The main topics of discussion were the programs that can stimulate economic growth, enhancing the management of the economy and reforms and attracting private investment in the region. This meeting was scheduled in Berlin, on August 28, at the Conference on the Western Balkans, held at the initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the presence of the leading politicians of the region.
Dusan Janjic, president of the Forum for Ethnic Relations, points to Danas that in the atmosphere, created because of an incident at a football game, holding of the meeting was a good message.
– The message is that regional cooperation cannot be jeopardized; cooperation is stronger than violence, and that the problems are easier to solve if countries talk. Because of all the circumstances, I have a somewhat understanding of Serbian diplomacy which sought not to set the meeting in the centre of attention. However, otherwise they would achieve bigger and better effects – indicates Janjic.
He reminds us that this is the first meeting in Belgrade with the participation of countries in the region, and with Kosovo in it, and a very practical, concrete and important topics were initiated.
Borislav Stefanovic, Vice president of the Democratic Party and former head of the technical team for negotiations with Pristina, to Danas says that events like this are necessary and useful.
– The problem is that the government does not organize such gatherings because they really want peace and coexistence, which would contribute to stability in the region, but for some ticking of the box. The government did not want this gathering to be visible to the general public because they do not want to lose the title of turbo-patriots. In this context, our foreign policy does not exist and is led from day to day – said Stefanovic.
On the statement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kosovo, Enver Hoxhaj that Belgrade and Pristina should sign a peace agreement before Serbia joining the EU; he says that it is a part of the Kosovo policy and they will call it peace agreement while Belgrade will call it the agreement on regulating relations. Stefanovic added that Germany insists on the agreement, which will be formally a part of the chapter 35th.
