Struga, 16 June 2023 (MIA) - Western Balkan countries do not need an extra institution in charge of promoting regional cooperation, but need political will, as there are more than enough organizations in charge of that, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Majlinda Bregu told the 'Genuine Regional Cooperation Keeps the Boat Steady' session at the 2023 Prespa Forum Dialogue in Struga on Friday.

"We have great strategic agreements, programs, and plans, the problem arises with their implementation. They need political will to make such changes viable, although will was present when those agreements were being prepared. Mutual misunderstanding is the reason why those agreements continue to exist only on paper. For example, it would be good for a student that graduated in Podgorica to have their diploma recognized in Tirana. The region is losing young people, and because of that we lose EUR 2,8 million. The same is true for the visa-free travel agreement between Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which has not yet come into effect. Regional cooperation is used as a mantra, but it is a process we should invest in together, yet it turns out that in essence we are still fighting each other," Bregu said.

Commenting on the importance of the civil sector for regional cooperation, Bregu emphasized that good neighborly relations are well received in people's perception, and they know that this is the only way to solve the problems countries in the region face. It is up to the leaders, those who have a political term, to implement what is good for the citizens, because it is not only important for the credibility of the process, but also for them as leaders. ssh/nn/

Photo: MIA archive