11/10/2024 Political Affairs and Democracy
Under the chairmanship of Alexis Tsipras (Greece, UEL), PACE’s Sub-Committee on the Western Balkans met in Belgrade on 10-11 October 2024, at the invitation of the Serbian parliament. Addressing the meeting, Ana Brnabić, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, emphasised the importance of dialogue and co-operation to face the common challenges of the Western Balkans region.
Members held exchanges of view with representatives of the European Parliament and other EU bodies, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, civil society from the region and academia.
The meeting focused on regional developments and security challenges; economic, energy and environmental co-operation; and the prospects for European integration.
Participants shared their concerns about the human insecurity and the fragility of democratic institutions and the rule of law in the region, against the background of increased malign foreign influence.
These challenges contribute to a sense of disenchantment among citizens of the Western Balkans, especially young people: participants agreed that young people had a crucial role to play in shaping the European future of the region, and called for the continuation and strengthening of educational activities and other initiatives targeting their needs.
Mr Tsipras stressed the great potential of the Western Balkans and its peoples, calling on responsible political leaders to invest in peace, dialogue and conflict resolution, even when these processes come with a political cost.
In his conclusions he suggested that next steps should aim to fulfil three different goals: launching a strategy for the enlargement of the EU with the target of ensuring that all Western Balkans countries are members of the EU by 2030; developing a phased approach which would allow for these countries’ gradual integration into the European common market even before full membership is reached, and strengthening the role of the EU as a peace-building instrument.