Struga, 15 June 2023 (MIA) — Paving the way to the EU requires wisdom and a lot of work, but I am confident that Balkan competitiveness can contribute to bringing our economies closer to the European market and even closer to European integration, Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi said at the Prespa Forum Dialogue 2023 panel on "Paving the Way to Prosperity: EcoFin Strategies for Western Balkans Growth."

Deputy PM Bytyqi stressed that cooperation was key. "Moments of stubbornness should be avoided," he said. He also said he believed joining the EU by 2030 was possible.

"We should cooperate. The Prespa Agreement opened up new opportunities for the Balkan region, especially for greater cooperation. It resolved many issues that were painful for both countries and had a domino effect over the entire Balkan region," Bytyqi said. 

"The Prespa Agreement paved the way to prosperity, made it possible to strengthen cooperation, both economic and diplomatic. We are now paving the way to EU membership, which means accepting certain policies: strengthening institutions, strengthening economies and competitiveness, and boosting economic relations and trade," he added.

The Deputy PM also discussed the EU's Action Plan for the Western Balkans.

He said the plan had four pillars: bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU single market, deepening regional economic integration, accelerating fundamental reforms such as in the judiciary and the fight against corruption, and increasing pre-accession funds aimed at reforms and investments.

"This is how we can move forward toward the EU," he said, reiterating that the Prespa Agreement had made the Western Balkans' membership to the EU possible by 2030.

Other panelists included the National Bank Governor Anita Angelovska Bezhoska, Montenegro's Minister of Finance Aleksandar Damjanovic, and UNDP Director for the Regional Bureau for Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States Ivana Zivkovic. mr/