19. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Youth
It was the fifth time that the six Western Balkans countries participated in a Summit dedicated to a common cooperation and integration with the European Union. This year’s Summit took place in the United Kingdom in London on 10 July. Prime Minister Theresa May hosted Heads of the Government of the Western Balkan 6: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. The representatives of Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Greece as well as the EU institutions were also present. The whole idea is set within the Berlin Process initiative launched by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel on August 28, 2014. The process was designed as a four-year series of meetings of prime ministers, ministers, civil society, and business communities of the Western Balkans. Before the fifth summit, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) put many efforts into making this meeting a success. A special department was set up to deal with the preparations and they held different meetings and seminars with experts on the region, both in the UK and in the region itself. Bled Strategic Forum and Center for European Perspective representatives took active role in preparatory sessions, meetings held prior to the event, as well as at the event itself.
Process has after four years brought various positive developments to the region. The connectivity agenda has contributed to economic co-operation and growth sustainability, while various infrastructure construction and economic space connectivity projects have been developed. There has been some success in resolving bilateral issues as well. Two interstate agreements were signed following the adoption of the Declaration on Bilateral Issues, while the biggest success has been the historic agreement between Macedonia and Greece, whose name dispute, along with the dispute between Belgrade and Pristina, is stated in the final declaration of the Berlin conference in 2014 as one of the key bilateral issues. A lot of progress has been made in recognizing role of youth and youth involvement, while Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) role, established as the Berlin Process product, was welcomed as a very important organisation in promoting reconciliation and increasing regional cooperation between young people. Topic discussed most was youth unemployment. The representatives agreed that young people’s potential need to be harnessed but also remained concerned about high levels of brain drain. The Chair’s Conclusions of the Heads’ meeting of the London Western Balkans Summit welcomed the role young people and civil society had played in shaping the London Summit and strongly agreed that young people are the region’s biggest asset. They also agreed that more needs to be done to harness the potential of the young people.
London summit produced many results, particularly declarations of intent and respective agreements. The heads of state agreed to a “Joint Declaration on Regional and Good Neighborly Relations”, a “Joint Declaration on Missing Persons”, and a “Joint Declaration on War Crimes” (see the documents here). The interior ministers confirmed their intentions to further strengthen information exchange on serious organized crime and other security threats; to further cooperate in tackling the illicit possession, misuse and trafficking of firearms; to deal with human trafficking and the smuggling of migrants; and to deal with corruption (see here). They also agreed to establish a “Berlin Process Security Commitments Steering Group” to oversee the commitments, headed by the UK (see here). Foreign Ministers reiterated the positive developments in the region in the past year (see here).
In addition, the UK used the stage to announce changes in its Western Balkans policy (see here) which included a doubling in UK funding to the region from the Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, as well as a doubling of UK staff in the region dealing with security issues affecting the UK. Furthermore, the UK committed £10 million for digital education among young people; this is a programme run through the British Council from which 4,500 schools will benefit. In addition, the UK promised £1 million to help address legacy issues in the region, especially emphasizing the issue of missing persons in this context, which also had a particular importance during the summit.
One of the downsides of the Berlin process and commitments made at the Summit, is lack of monitoring institutions. Civil society, and its integral part, youth organizations, play a large role here, with keeping track, reporting and disseminating of actions of their respective governments in regards to the commitments made. Civil society should also continue with its contributions in shaping the priority areas to be tackled within the Berlin process, as well as ensure recommendations are provided on the issues at hand.
13. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Round table discussion “Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Western Balkans: Not without its Alternatives?” took place on Tuesday, 10 July 2018 at the Faculty of Social Sciences and was organized by the Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum and the MUN Slovenia Club as part of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference. Three speakers, Ambassador Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia, Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, BSF Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia and Ms Jelka Klemenc, DCAF Slovenia, have engaged in a vivid discussion led by Ms Nina Pejič of the Faculty of Social Sciences.
Ms Pejič started with a challenging reminder: Federica Mogherini stated publically in 2017 that the Western Balkans will be irreversibly on the path to the EU before the end of her mandate. As one of the initial 6 “old” member states, Italy, so explained Ambassador Trichilo, wholeheartedly supports the entrance of the countries of the WB to the EU, the WB geographically and historically belongs to Europe and the sooner the countries enter, the better. In that way the interests of the member state(s) coincide with the statements of the EU bodies (EASS), in which the Commission has a large voice. Also Mr Grk think the same way: the member states should de-mystify the Balkans and rationally think about what benefits does it bring to let these countries into the EU.
The EU has abandoned the Balkans in the period between 2010-2017 due to its internal struggles (economic crisis, migration crisis, Brexit and identity crisis), but it is now back on track with the hands-on approach towards the integration of the region into the EU, agreed the speakers.
The discussion was closely following the conclusion of the Western Balkans Summit in London, organized in the framework of the Berlin Process. Mr Grk pointed out that the Berlin Process itself is not important, but its outcomes are: the progress in 2018 is indeed outstanding and should be considered monumental for the achievement of the Mogherini’s statement. Also Ms Jelka Klemenc feels that the region has connected through the Berlin Process in a way that is now irreversible in the field of security. The security forces in the region now do not know any other way than to cooperate in the field of internal security issues.
Ms Pejič pointed out that the internal security issues originating from the Balkans region were set as the first priority for the EU in the new strategy for the Western Balkans. In terms of security in the Balkans, all three panelists concurred in the opinion that this is one of the most important fields in which the EU should take the place of the main actor. Although the EU, according to Ms Jelka Klemenc, backed out the Balkans also in this field during the last decade, there was no turning towards the alternative actors in the field of security by the Western Balkans’ countries. To keep it this way, the EU should grab the opportunity and proceed with further security integration after this crucial year of 2018, in which the re-commitment towards the Western Balkans was established and the new strategy for the Western Balkans accepted. For the EU to become a more credible actor in the field of security in this region, the Balkans should become treated as a (possible) security provider instead of a threat.
When they considered the actors that are present in the region, the panelists pointed out the US, which still play a role of the security provider at least in Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina; Turkey, whose President recently paid a visit to some Balkan countries; Saudi Arabia, which is one of the actors that in the field of security might endanger the region through financing religious teachings, that can in turn enhance religious fundamentalism and radicalization. China is also considered an alternative actor through its investments in the region, which should, according to the panelists, be accepted but still controlled in order to comply with the European standards in terms of infrastructure etc. All investments should be made in accordance to the European values, agreed the panelists.
However, all panellists were of opinion that although the alternative actors are present in the region and are competing with the primacy of the EU in the Western Balkans, the Euro-Atlantic integration is not endangered, especially if the EU comes through with the plans of re-commitment and invests in the region both politically and financially-wise.
The questions coming from the audience were concerning the most with the question of the possible dangerous Chinese investments in the Western Balkans region and their effect on the process of integration to the EU; the NATO presence in the region and the possible mechanisms of the NATO that could be used to integrate the Western Balkans’ countries faster, and the possible influences of these alternative actors on the internal EU policies.
4. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
The Centre for European Perspective, the Bled Strategic Forum and the MUN Slovenia Club kindly invite you to a panel discussion in the framework of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference: “Euro-Atlantic Integration in the Western Balkans: Not without its Alternatives?” on Tuesday, 10 July 2018, 17.15 – 18.45 at the Grand Hall of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ljubljana.
Panel discussion is organised by the MUN Slovenia Club (MUNSC), the Bled Strategic Forum (BSF) and the Centre for European Perspective (CEP) as part of the 2018 edition of the MUNSC Salient youth conference.
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Speakers:
Ambassador Paolo Trichilo, Ambassador of the Republic of Italy in Slovenia
Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, BSF Secretary General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
Ms Jelka Klemenc, DCAF Slovenia
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After more than two decades of attempts on the part of the European Union to help stabilise the Western Balkans and gradually integrate it into its political and economic community the results are mixed. While there is no denying the fact that some immense steps have been made, a list of systemic challenges seems to have remained more or less unchanged over the years.
What has changed, however, is the wider geopolitical context in which the Western Balkans policy complex is embedded. Across a range of issue areas relations between the East and the West have deteriorated, with Cold War analogies featuring ever more frequently both in lay and expert deliberations. Given the importance of stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans for the security of the wider European continent, it can hardly be expected that the region will remain unaffected by wider power struggles.
In this context the concluding remarks of the new EU strategy for the Western Balkans, recently adopted by the European Commission, come across as especially revealing:
“Most fundamentally, leaders in the region must leave no doubt as to their strategic orientation and commitment. It is they that ultimately must assume responsibility for making this historical opportunity a reality.” (European Commission 2018)
Yet what if, at least from the perspective of some regional stakeholders, the ‘historical opportunity’ of further Euro-Atlantic integration is not without its alternatives?
This will be the guiding question for a panel discussion that is set to proceed in two parts. The first part will focus on the potential existence of alternatives to Euro-Atlantic integration in the Western Balkans and ways to accommodate them into our current deliberations about the region. In the second part the discussion will shift towards the implications that potential alternatives could hold for future EU policies concerning this region, both at the political level as well as in the day-to-day activities of people working on the ground.
RSVP: [email protected] by Monday, 9 July 2018
Kindly invited!
4. 7. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
The Third Regional Youth Forum took place in Novi Sad, Serbia last weekend (29 June – 1 July). The event gathered around 200 young opinionated leaders, between 18 and 35 years old, with a proven record of making an impact in their communities and offered them a place for knowledge sharing and dialogue through networking and a series of panel discussions. A delegation of the Bled Strategic Forum and Young Bled Strategic Forum attended the event as an introduction into a long-term cooperation between the institutions.
The participants at the opening ceremony were greeted by RYCO Secretary General Mr Đuro Blanuša who said that the Forum is looking for the answer to the question how to bring more Europe in the region and how to make a region more present in Europe. He underlined that the Forum’s participants are the future ambassadors of change and those who will create the future that we all want to see. During the opening ceremony, the participants were greeted by Serbian Prime Minister Ms Ana Brnabić who said that the youth of the region should put a pressure on the leaders and make them politically smarter and more active as this will bring “big things” for the region.
The Forum was attended by the mayors of Novi Sad and Tirana, Mr Miloš Vučević and Mr Erion Veliaj. The Mayor of Tirana said that the EU has done a lot for the region because it enabled movement, cooperation and made possible that Serbians and Albanians are today at the same event discussing a bright future. He argued that we need more Europe in the region because of this fact.
The Regional Youth Forum is organized by the European Movement in Serbia – Local Branch Novi Sad, the European Fund for the Balkans, the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, and in partnership with the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) – ORF Promotion of EU Integration. Indispensable support was provided by the Provincial Government of Vojvodina, the City of Novi Sad and the Regional Cooperation Council.
The Forum’s conclusions will be presented at the upcoming London Summit in London within the Berlin Process, at the 8th edition of the Belgrade Security Forum, and the 2018 Young Bled Strategic Forum.
19. 6. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR
Cooperation between the Bled Strategic Forum 2018 – a leading international conference in Central and South-Eastern Europe – and the 51th MOS – one of the largest and most important trade fair events in Slovenia and this part of Europe – was announced on 13th of June at the press conference in Celje.
Newly established synergy between two of the most important conferences in Slovenia was presented by Dr Gorazd Justinek, executive director of Centre for European Perspective, co-organizer of Bled Strategic Forum 2018.
Bled Strategic Forum, which will take place between 10th and 11th of September 2018, brings together a diverse set of participants, including heads of state and government, ministers, diplomats, businesspeople, scholars and experts, youth, and media from around the world. With over 1000 participants (included 1 head of state, 2 heads of government, 16 foreign and 27 other ministers, 14 representatives of international organizations and 28 other high-level guests) from 66 countries, the 2017 Bled Strategic Forum was the biggest and most successful event in its history.
International Trade Fair MOS will take place right after Bled Strategic Forum, between 11 and 16 of September 2016. It is a business crossroads for innovations, development and the latest advances, providing superb opportunities to drive business forward and an opportunity to directly target customers. It is also a venue for showcasing new products and services, offering an insight into the main challenges that entrepreneurs and craftsmen have to face in everyday business environment.
Bled Strategic Forum and MOS recognize the synergies between the operations and missions of both international conferences and therefore plan to cooperate on the content preparations and discussions.
Together, we will enrich not only each other’s events, but Slovenian conference activities and recognisability in the world as well.
12. 5. 2018 | Bled Strategic Forum, PR, Youth
Due to our partnership with the Central European Initiative, we are able to offer travel grants to young leaders coming from following countries: Albania, Belarus, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, Ukraine.
Successful applicants will have their accommodation and meals covered for the duration of the program.
Application are open until 27th of May 2018.
Read more about the application process here.
