For the second year in a row, the EUpravo Zato initiative was a partner of the EU–Western Balkans Summit organised in Brussels by the think tank Friends of Europe.
The Summit, titled “Enlargement matters – Europe’s new geopolitical, security and economic frontier”, brought together European and regional leaders with the aim of jointly examining the geopolitical, security and economic dimensions of European Union enlargement.
This event represented yet another opportunity for the countries of the Western Balkans, including Serbia, to send messages about their readiness for reforms, their European path and the strengthening of institutions.
The program consisted of three major thematic sections. The first session focused on the geopolitical, security and economic dimensions of enlargement, the second part of the agenda was dedicated to the economy and investments, while the third thematic block addressed the rule of law and judicial reform, areas that remain crucial in the accession process.
The list of speakers included senior officials from EU institutions, prime ministers and ministers from Western Balkan countries, representatives of international financial institutions, experts and analysts, including Ana Brnabić, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Nikoloski, Deputy Prime Minister of North Macedonia and Minister of Transport, Kristina Gerasimova, Deputy Prime Minister of Moldova for European Integration, Štefan Füle, former European Commissioner for Enlargement, Srđan Majstorović, Chairman of the Governing Board of the European Policy Centre (CEP), Anca Dragu, Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, Robert de Groot from the EIB, Irina Radović, Governor of the Central Bank of Montenegro…
It was precisely the diversity of participants that gave this summit particular weight, as perspectives from politics, economics, business and civil society were brought together in a joint discussion on the future of the European continent.
Approximately 150 speakers attended the summit, while a large number of people followed the event online.