On June 8, a videoconference of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Berlin Process countries took place. This was the first political meeting under the German Presidency of this format.
“Poland consistently supports the EU aspirations of our Western Balkan partners. We look forward to the activation of the enlargement process and the strengthening of the political dialogue with the candidate countries,” emphasised Minister Zbigniew Rau in his speech.
The Minister also referred to the ongoing Polish presidency of the V4, one of whose priorities is also supporting the process of European integration of the Western Balkan countries. The Minister also informed in this context that the next meeting of the V4 and Western Balkan ministers of foreign affairs will be held on 28 June this year in Rogalin.
The Berlin Process, initiated in 2004, is an additional instrument, complementary to the EU enlargement policy, for fostering regional cooperation in the Western Balkans, especially in the area of economics and infrastructure connections, but also for bringing societies closer together, youth cooperation and reconciliation processes.
“Poland is confident that the Berlin Process has true added value”, said Minister Rau, underlining at the same time that the citizens of the region need to feel the positive effects of the implemented reforms and integration process, especially today when they have to face the additional consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this context, he pointed to the importance of the Common Regional Market in the Western Balkans. At the same time, he expressed satisfaction that the agenda of the German presidency also included the topics of strengthening civil society, youth support and mutual reconciliation, which were also horizontal priorities of the Polish presidency of the Berlin Process in 2019.