Skopje, 12 September 2022 (MIA) - Current key issues in the region and Europe, the European Union enlargement process with the Western Balkan countries, the security situation and the Russian aggression against Ukraine, as well as measures and ways to tackle the energy and economic crisis as a result of the Ukraine war were the focal point in the discussions at the 11th meeting of the Brdo-Brijuni Process leaders, in which President Stevo Pendarovski also took part. EU enlargement, Pendarovski said, contributes to maintaining peace and stability in our region, improving democracy, rule of law and protection of human rights and freedoms, which is why it is necessary to accelerate the integration processes of all Western Balkan countries. In this context, the President said he expected the coming meeting of the European Political Community, due in early October, to contribute to speeding up further the integration processes. "The leaders welcomed the official opening of the EU negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania and called on the European Union institutions to take additional courageous decisions regarding the integration of the remaining Western Balkan countries," President's office said. Partaking in the discussion, President Pendarovski stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina deserves to be granted EU candidate status and Kosovo to be included in the visa liberalization. He also voiced expectations that Slovenia and Croatia will continue to strongly support the EU integration processes of the Western Balkan countries. President Pendarovski underscored that the Western Balkan countries need an access to the EU mechanisms as soon as possible as a support in handling with the upcoming energy crisis, saying that the economic and social crisis could galvanize years-long political crisis and generate additional instability. He called for strengthened cooperation and dialogue in order to alleviate the negative effects from the war in Ukraine. North Macedonia is prepared to host the Brdo-Brijuni Process next year, Pendarovski said. Albanian President Bajram Begaj, three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Željko Komšić, Milorad Dodik and Šefik Džaferović, Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović attend the meeting, hosted by Slovenian President Borut Pahor with Croatia’s Zoran Milanović being the co-host. The Brdo-Brijuni Process is a joint initiative by Slovenia and Croatia, formed in 2010 aimed at increasing the pace of EU integration of the Western Balkans. https://youtu.be/Ec6g7of0jFs