Skopje, 14 September 2021 (MIA) – Minister of Defence Radmila Shekerinska is visiting the Austrian town of Krems on Tuesday to take part in a conference with counterparts from the Western Balkans and Austria, focusing on cooperation in the region and its EU perspectives. Ministers are set to sign at the conference a joint declaration for cooperation and dialogue, which entails implementation of multiple activities for defence collaboration including strengthening the region’s resilience, education, trainings and joint contribution to EU’s crisis management operations, the Ministry of Defence said in a press release. During the conference, Shekerinska will meet with Austrian Klaudia Tanner and discuss cooperation in defence, as well as support Austria gave North Macedonia during the recent wildfires and over the course of the pandemic. Minister Shekerinska will also address a press conference on the signing of the declaration. The conference is taking place in the Austrian town of Krems, in the so-called “Gratz Format” established in 2018 in Gratz with the aim of strengthening ties between EU and the region. Representatives from North Macedonia, Serbia, Albania, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Austria as a representative of the EU, will take part in the event.