Skopje, 18 January 2024 (MIA) - President Stevo Pendarovski addressed Wednesday session "Diplomatic Dialogue on Western Balkans" within the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, reaffirming the need for accelerated EU integration of the Western Balkans that would have a positive impact on security, political processes, reform agenda, and Euro-skepticism in the region.

The session discussion focused on the EU enlargement perspectives with the Western Balkans amid the broader geopolitical and security context, their preparedness for realization of reforms, expectations from the European elections, improvement of the region's economic integration and its growth, the President's Office said in a press release.

President Pendarovski said the EU membership perspective is not needed only to strengthen economy, promote trade exchange and improve standard of life, but also for political integration in Union institutions, thus contributing to democratic development, institutional strengthening, rule of law and free media.

Pendarovski noted that in a time of many crises, it is important to have a larger European presence in the Western Balkans for the sake of its stability.

The WEF session also included, among others, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Montenegro Prime Minister Milojko Spajić, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean, and EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and other Western Balkan regional issues, Miroslav Lajčák, reads the press release.

Photo: President's Office