SOFIA – Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev stated during Sofia Summit that the EU provides strong and visible political support to the Western Balkans on its path to the EU, N1 reported.
He assessed that the region should use that opportunity for the benefit of all citizens of the Western Balkans.
Zaev said that the fact that the hosts of the Berlin Process Summit are for the first time an EU member and an EU membership candidate from the Western Balkans is clear proof that the region has firmly accepted the European integration process as its own.
He added that by co-organizing the Summit, Bulgaria and North Macedonia have provided an excellent platform for further strengthening bilateral relations.
Borisov: We reaffirm our strong commitment to the development of the Western Balkans
Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borisov said that Bulgaria and North Macedonia worked closely together to achieve the goals and priorities of the Summit.
“There is a lot of symbolism in the fact that Bulgaria and North Macedonia co-hosted the Summit. This was the first time that an EU member country and a Western Balkans country were hosts together, and this is a proof of our dedication to the development of the region”, wrote Borisov today in a Facebook post.
The Bulgarian Prime Minister stressed that today’s forum was also marked by the global pandemic of COVID-19, which blocked and overturned the world economy, challenged the foundations of national health and welfare systems, but also shook our value systems.
“This pandemic has radically and irreversibly changed people’s lives and destinies at the local, regional, national and global levels”, Borissov said.
According to him, despite the challenges, Sofia and Skopje have joined forces to meet the common goals and priorities of the common household.
The Prime Minister of Bulgaria pointed out the improvement of connectivity in all its aspects – transport, economy, energy, digitization, connectivity between people with an emphasis on youth, education and security.
“The launch of a common regional market and a Green Agenda in the Western Balkans and other initiatives that contribute to better co-operation and understanding in the region are also key”, Borissov said.
According to Borissov, it is important in the Berlin Process to pay special attention to the development of the connection infrastructure in the region, as this is the traffic system in the Balkans, through which both businesses and citizens live.