Informal ministerial meeting held in Pristina

Informal ministerial meeting held in Pristina

According to announcements, the conference covered "tangible economic projects of regional character with a special emphasis on investments in infrastructure which can be realised from EU funds aimed at the development of the Western Balkans."

The third meeting of regional ministers was taking place in Pristina "without the display of national symbols," said Tanjug, and added "the meeting was headed by Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs Hashim Thaci."

The conference gathered ministers of foreign affairs and infrastructure of the Western Balkan region and European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn, and European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc who addressed the participants via a video call.

The conference was also attended by Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia Michael Davenport.

According to announcements, joined projects should be defined in Vienna on August 27, while the EU should provide about a billion euros via the IPA mechanism. "Significant funds" are also expected "from other sources."

"Infrastructure brings down walls"

Hashim Thaci stated on Wednesday that "the previous period saw misunderstandings in the Western Balkans, but that projects in the field of infrastructure and energy bring down the walls between nations and contribute to their reconciliation."

"The goal is for everyone to live in peace and tolerance, and Kosovo, too, belongs to the European family," Thaci said opening the conference.

"The dialogue with Serbia has been made concrete through the agreement signed in Brussels," he said, voicing expectation that "new agreements will be made in order for relations with Serbia to be normalized."

Thaci said that 'the Berlin process' will be continued in Vienna in August, "with the aim to boost investments in the region in terms of infrastructure, energy and agriculture, that should create better living conditions for people in the Western Balkans."

"Good neighborly relations are among the main roadmaps for Kosovo on its path to the EU and NATO," Thaci said.

According him, "equal participation in this conference is a strong signal for Kosovo that stability of the Balkans and its integration into the EU is unimaginable without Kosovo."

Thaci also said that "Kosovo will be the leader in consolidating peace and opening of new chapter of reconciliation in Western Balkans."

Johannes Hahn announced in Pristina on Wednesday that the EU will allocate a billion euros for the promotion of infrastructure in the Western Balkan countries.

"Projects in the fields of infrastructure, transport and energy are crucial for economic development, attraction of new investments and creation of jobs," Hahn underlined.

As early as in 2015, EUR 100 million will be granted from the IPA funds in form of investments, he said.

The Western Balkan countries need to adopt a common transport policy, Hahn said, adding that the European funds are limited and every euro will have to be spent shrewdly.

He added that the EU "will help the regional countries to successfully realize these projects and continue to help them in the implementation of the reforms."

European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc stated on Wednesday that the Western Balkan region is very important for the EU and that it should set up better connections.

The Western Balkans is the most important region for cross-border cooperation in the EU, Bulc said in her address via video call to the participants of the informal conference in Pristina.

The Western Balkans needs better connections and a transport policy because transport is the most important point for improvement of citizens' living standards, she underscored.