An EU-Western Balkans summit to address COVID-19 challenges

One of ALDA’s strategic areas of operation, the Western Balkans region, was the central topic of an EU-Western Balkans summit which took place on May 6th, 2020 remotely via video conference due to the mobility restrictions imposed by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Therefore, ALDA is delighted to share a brief summary of this important meeting and its main outcomes.

Several key actors were part of this reunion:

• heads of states/governments from EU members

• leaders from the six Western Balkans partners: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, the Republic of North Macedonia and Kosovo

• Leaders of European and International Institutions 

• The president of the European Council, Charles Michel as the chairperson of the summit.

The summit was concluded by the unilateral adoption of the Zagreb declaration, which stipulates the following agreed facts: 

• The EU reaffirms its unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

• The EU stands by its Western Balkans partners and remains committed to actively support their efforts to combat the coronavirus outbreak and its impacts on societies and economies.

• The EU has mobilized a package of over EUR 3.3 billion to the benefit of the Western Balkans, this includes immediate support for the health sector, in particular through delivering essential supplies to save lives and significant support for the social and economic recovery needs of our partners, as well as a EUR 750 million package of Macro-Financial Assistance and a EUR 1.7 billion package of assistance from the European Investment Bank.

• This cooperation includes joint procurement and the unrestricted trade-flow of protective personal equipment, ensuring the fast flow of essential goods through green lanes linking the EU and Western Balkans.

• The EU also recognizes the valuable support the Western Balkans have given during the pandemic to their immediate neighbors and towards the EU and therefore is emphasizing on the importance of the pursuance of such cooperation and coordination in the long run, including throughout the exit and recovery phase.

• The EU is determined to further intensify its engagement at all levels to support the region’s political, economic and social transformation and welcomes the pledge of the Western Balkans partners to uphold European values and principles.

• The EU welcomes the strong commitment by the Western Balkans partners to the primacy of democracy and the rule of law, especially the fight against corruption and organised crime, good governance, as well as respect for human rights, gender equality and for rights of persons belonging to minorities.

• Closer collaboration is needed in resilience-building and cyber security,strategic communication is essential in this regard.

• Implementing bilateral agreements in good faith and with tangible results, including the Prespa Agreement with Greece and the Treaty on Good Neighborly relations with Bulgaria, remains important in this regard.

• Once the immediate measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic are achieved, a new phase of close cooperation to tackle the significant socio-economic impact of the crisis will follow.

• The EU and the Western Balkans share a number of security challenges that demand coordinated individual and collective action, in that regard, advancing the cooperation on core security issues with more determination and in a more systematic way, including at operational level is very crucial and will be implemented by developing inclusive instruments to help achieving these goals .

• Preventing and countering terrorism and extremism including the financing, radicalisation and return of foreign terrorist fighters require a particular attention and should be included in the region's agenda of priorities.

• The Western Balkans partners, in cooperation with the EU, will continue to take resolute actions against human trafficking, drug cultivation, money laundering and smuggling of human beings and drugs.

• The cooperation to tackle migration challenges, including combating the smuggling of migrants has demonstrated its value and will be further developed and profit from tools such as the cooperation with Frontex, EASO and Europol. The remaining Frontex status agreements should be concluded without delay. The EU will continue to support the improvement of reception capacities in the Western Balkans.

• Energy security should be prioritized, including the diversification of sources and routes.

At ALDA, we welcome with gratitude this reinforced will of partnership between EU member states and institutions and the Western Balkans countries, where "it all began" with the Local Democracy Agencies that were the inception of the Association as we know it today.

A note from the Balkan Network for Local Democracy (BNLD):  

"The Balkan Network for Local Democracy is closely following the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local communities across the Western Balkan region. We witness how this pandemic reshapes our communities in new ways and how the consequences affect every citizen no matter what nationality, gender or race. 

As a regional network, we strive to raise awareness about our shared values at the regional level as well as at the local level through our members. With this statement we intend to do just that, to show how much DEMOCRACY really matters, especially at the local level, to inspire SOLIDARITY among our citizens, to foster REGIONAL CO-OPERATION and, last but not least, to continue our path towards the EU and show our communities that EU integration matters, now more than ever". 

The full statement can be downloaded here.