Skopje, 6 February 2024 (MIA) – Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani participated in a meeting of foreign ministers from the Western Balkans and 'Friends of Western Balkans' group in Rome, at the invitation of Italian FM Antonio Tajani, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release on Tuesday.

“Setting a clear vision for the future EU enlargement with the Western Balkan countries is of significant economic and security interest for both the region and the Union,” Osmani told a session on ‘Working together to accelerate the European integration process of the Western Balkans’. 

In that regard, the press release reads, Osmani mentioned the concept “More integration before membership, noting that it complements the EU’s Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, which in addition to improving democratic processes, the economic and security situation in the Western Balkans, also contributes to significantly promoting resilience and strengthening the response to common challenges. 

Thanking the Italian hosts for the initiative and the friends of the region for the support, FM Osmani underscored that in the given geostrategic and regional context, the need for strategic thinking and action is greater than ever before.

“We all need to double our efforts to use the full potential of what we currently have at our disposal, and maintain the ambition to further promote and speed up integration in the medium term. It will infuse fresh enthusiasm for countries and citizens in the region and improve the credibility of the accession process,” Osmani said, as cited in the Foreign Ministry’s press release.

As part of the visit, Osmani also met with MKarta holders from Italy. 

Photo: MFA