A two-day event “Back on the Agenda: EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans” organized by the Centre for European Perspective took place in Brussels, Belgium. By involving think tank representatives and youth, civil society of the Western Balkans discussed their concerns, challenges, ideas and prospects with EU representatives, policy makers and experts in four fields: democratization, participation, social affairs and reconciliation.
Public discussion at the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium concludes a two-day event Back on the Agenda: EU Enlargement and the Western Balkans, organized by the Centre for European Perspective. By involving think tank representatives and youth, civil society of the Western Balkans discussed their concerns, challenges, ideas and prospects with EU representatives, policy makers and experts.
Welcome Address was delivered by Dr Gorazd Justinek, Director of the Centre for European Perspective, who emphasized the three pillars of CEP’s work: security, democratization and youth.
Mr Maciej Popowski, Deputy Director-General for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, European Commission delivered a speech on the implementation of the Western Balkan Strategy.
Public discussion continued with a dynamic dialogue between the civil society and youth representatives and the stakeholders’ representatives. Four main topics: democratization, social affairs, participation and reconciliation were addressed and each discussion involved an overview of the topic, burning issues, examples of good practices and policy recommendations.
Mr Molnár Balázs, Deputy State Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary; Mr Peter Grk, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia; Ms Marlène Bartes, European Commission – Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture; and Mr Albert Sesé Ballart, European Commission – Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture responded to the presentations and engaged in a very vivid and energetic dialogue with the audience.
Discussion was moderated by Mr Zoran Nechev, Institute for Democracy „Societas Civilis“. In the concluding remarks Ms Tanja Fajon, Member of European Parliament from Slovenia pointed out the importance of the voice of the youth and emphasised two main challenges being negative perception of the enlargement in the EU and the distrusts of people towards EU policies.
The outcomes of the two-day event, supported by the International Visegrad Fund, will be published and distributed as policy recommendations.
With the support of the International Visegrad Fund, Centre for European Perspective is organizing a public debate on the challenges of youth in the Western Balkans, EU enlargement and the future of the South-East Europe in cooperation with Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) (Hungary), EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czechia), Slovak Foreign Affairs Association (SFPA) and Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM).
A two-day event will first bring together representatives of young generation and civil society representatives from the 6 countries of the Western Balkans: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia; and V4 partner organization representatives from Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia and Poland.
Visegrad cafe discussion, youth policy boot-camp and civil society networking will take place on Tuesday, 10 April 2018. The topic of democratization (corruption, democratic reforms, rule of law), social affairs (unemployment, education, brain drain), youthparticipation (youth representation, activism, giving the youth a voice) and reconciliation (peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, interstate relations) will be discussed as a result of the stage-setting essays, written by our young participants.
On Wednesday, 11 April 2018, between 10.00 am and 12.00 pm a public debate will follow at Charlemagne building, Mansholt room, Rue de la Loi 170, Brussels. Our panellists will discuss the future of the EU enlargement process and the Western Balkans with the representatives of the civil society and young generation.
Register here: http://bit.ly/V4Registration
Centre for European Perspective is opening the floor to the civil society of the Western Balkans, giving them a chance to discuss their concerns, challenges, ideas and prospects with EU representatives, policy makers and experts. You are cordially invited to take part in a public discussion on the future of the Western Balkans’ biggest asset, its youth, in the heart of the EU, in Brussels.
BACKGROUND OF THE EVENT
The Western Balkan has returned to the agenda of the European Union. However, getting closer to the EU also brings greater responsibility. The European Commission’s motto ‘exporting stability, rather than importing instability’ must remain a strong pull factor, since it carries the idea of strengthening WB democracies and finally implementing economic and social reforms, which would have tangible results for citizens. The EU-WB enlargement strategy, numerous top-level visits by EU representatives, including a wide range of different regional initiatives, are charting the EU’s path ahead. Nevertheless, it is the empowered civil society of the Western Balkans that are best at voicing their ideas and perspectives. And which part of society is more relevant for outlining the prospects for an (EU) future than the young generation?
One question inevitably arises: What do the youth of the Western Balkans have to say? An education system that is incompatible with the labour market, high youth unemployment, a massive brain-drain, anomalies of the state-building process and the slow post-conflict reconciliation process are only some of the everyday concerns plaguing young people in the region. Comprehensive structural reforms, the openness and inclusiveness of public institutions, more scholarships, better education and job opportunities, visa-free regime for the entire region and a chance not only to speak but also to be heard seem to be positive solutions to these challenges. The youngsters of the Western Balkans might see EU membership as the light at the end of the tunnel, but they are also fully aware that their respective governments need to do their part of the job first.
*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
As announced, the Centre for European Perspective is organising a public debate in Brussels on April 11, 2018 titled Back on the Agenda: EU Enlargement and Western Balkans. As a preparation for the event and a pre-event workshop, young people from the Western Balkan countries will be invited to Brussels on April 10, 2018. World cafe discussion, youth policy boot-camp and civil society networking will take place on the evening before the public debate on the EU enlargement. The topic of democratization (corruption, democratic reforms, rule of law), social affairs (unemployment, education, brain drain), participation (youth representation, activism, giving the youth a voice) and reconciliation (peacebuilding, intercultural dialogue, interstate relations) will be discussed as a result of the application essays, written by our young participants.
The Western Balkan has returned to the agenda of the European Union. However, getting closer to the EU also brings greater responsibility. The European Commission’s motto ‘exporting stability, rather than importing instability’ must remain a strong pull factor, since it carries the idea of strengthening WB democracies and finally implementing economic and social reforms, which would have tangible results for citizens. The EU-WB enlargement strategy, numerous top-level visits by EU representatives, including a wide range of different regional initiatives, are charting the EU’s path ahead. Nevertheless, it is the empowered civil society of the Western Balkans that are best at voicing their ideas and perspectives.
One question inevitably arises: What do the youth of the Western Balkans have to say? An education system that is incompatible with the labour market, high youth unemployment, a massive brain-drain, distrust in public institutions, deep-rooted corruption and the slow post-conflict reconciliation process are only some of the everyday concerns plaguing young people in the region. Comprehensive structural reforms, the openness and inclusiveness of public institutions, more scholarships, better education and job opportunities, visa-free regime for the entire region and a chance not only to speak but also to be heard seem to be positive solutions to these challenges. The youngsters of the Western Balkans might see EU membership as the light at the end of the tunnel, but they are also fully aware that their respective governments need to do their part of the job first.
You can read the stories of the youth of the Western Balkans below.
Event is done in cooperation with Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) (Hungary), EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czech Republic), Slovak Foreign Affairs Association (SFPA) and Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) and supported by International Visegrad Fund.
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Centre for European Perspective is organising a public debate in Brussels on April 10-11, 2018 titled Back on the Agenda: EU Enlargement and Western Balkans. Save the Date and join us!
The Western Balkan has returned to the agenda of the European Union. However, getting closer to the EU also brings greater responsibility. The European Commission’s motto ‘exporting stability, rather than importing instability’ must remain a strong pull factor, since it carries the idea of strengthening WB democracies and finally implementing economic and social reforms, which would have tangible results for citizens. The EU-WB enlargement strategy, numerous top-level visits by EU representatives, including a wide range of different regional initiatives, are charting the EU’s path ahead. Nevertheless, it is the empowered civil society of the Western Balkans that are best at voicing their ideas and perspectives.
And which part of society is more relevant for outlining the prospects for an (EU) future than the young generation?
Event is done in cooperation with Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) (Hungary), EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czech Republic), Slovak Foreign Affairs Association (SFPA) and Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) and supported by International Visegrad Fund.
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
It is our pleasure to announce selected young participants for the public debate in Brussels ‘Back on the Agenda: EU Enlargement and Western Balkans’. The event will actively involve young individuals from all Western Balkan countries!
We will be addressing the EU enlargement fatigue on one side and Western Balkans’ lack of reform on the other. In January, CEP has launched a call for applications among young who outlined solution and policy recommendation proposals on the most pressing challenges in their countries.
The winning essays were authored by:
Alba Brojka
Aleksandra Kapetanović
Emina Balota
Besnik Avdiaj
Lolita Hasani
Mak Selimović
Participants will be invited to actively participate at the public discussion in Brussels in April 2018.
Congratulations!
Event is done in cooperation with Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) (Hungary), EUROPEUM Institute for European Policy (Czech Republic), Slovak Foreign Affairs Association (SFPA)and Polish Institute of International Affairs (PISM) and supported by International Visegrad Fund.
