Skopje, 16 September 2021 (MIA) – Deputy PM for European Affairs Nikola Dimitrov alongside EU integration ministers from the region took part Thursday in a meeting, organized by an initiative of European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi, to share views ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in October. Participants discussed key topics from the summit’s agenda and anticipated results, including EU economic support for the region and building of a regional internal market, the COVID-19 situation and vaccine rollout, the green agenda as well as efforts to reduce roaming costs between the region and the EU, said the Secretariat for European Affairs. The summit, said Deputy PM Dimitrov, must send a clear political signal for the European future of the Western Balkans. It’s evident that confidence in the process is waning, he stated adding: “Credibility will be further called into question without a clear message.” “The summit should serve as a chance to bring the EU’s economic support and strategic partnership with the region closer to the citizens in addressing global issues as joint challenges – COVID-19 and vaccination, migration and security issues, but progress in the enlargement process is the main framework for achieving success,” said Dimitrov. Commissioner Várhelyi said that the European Parliament yesterday adopted the European Commission’s Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) for 2021-2027, estimated at €14 billion, and announced that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will tour the region by the end of September.