TIRANA, July 3 /ATA-PAP/- A three-day summit of six Western Balkan countries taking part in the pre-accession Berlin Process will start in the Polish western city of Poznan on Wednesday.
Leaders of the Western Balkan and partner countries will meet on Friday to discuss the most important issues for the region.
The congress will feature meetings of ministers responsible for foreign and internal affairs and economy. A forum of think tanks and a meeting of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and a business forum are also on the agenda.
A dozen or so prime ministers have already confirmed their attendance. The list includes German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British PM Theresa May and prime ministers of all Western Balkan countries.
Dozens of ministers are expected to attend the event on Thursday.
During the Friday summit, the country leaders will sum up the current activities under the Berlin process and focus on plans for the future.
Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek, who is responsible for organising the summit, told PAP that the Berlin Process, which was originally designed to last five years, will likely be prolonged, as he observed that the EU has not yet opened accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania.
Speaking of the summit’s NGO component, Szynkowski vel Sek said that “most people attending the summit will not be politicians, but representatives of non-governmental organisations.”
The think tank forum, which will attract some 200 NGO activists from all over Europe, will take place on Wednesday.
“This forum will evolve on Thursday into a civil society forum and a business forum. Apart from NGO representatives, there will also be government officials, with Poland being represented by the investment and development minister,” Szynkowski vel Sek said.
The Thursday talks of foreign, interior and economy ministers “are aimed to pave the way for the leaders’ decisions” on Friday.
About 1,500 people are expected to attend the summit, including more than 1,000 foreign guests, Szynkowski vel Sek said.
The Berlin Process is a German-led inter-governmental initiative to promote the expansion of the European Union to the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, North Macedonia and Serbia) and to strengthen regional cooperation. The initiative comprises eight EU countries, namely, Germany, France, Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Great Britain. Poland joined the project last year and has taken over its presidency in January. //a.i/
