The Chairperson of the Committee on European Integration Mr Slaven Radunović participated today in the European Policy Summit in Brussels titled “Western Balkans: Fast Lane, Slow Lane”. The Summit was organised by the NGO  “Friends of Europe”, in cooperation with the Konrad-Adenauer Foundation, and the media partner European World.

Within the first session “Keeping up the Momentum of Reform”, the focus of discussion was on the challenges which the Western Balkans countries were facing in the process of implementation of political and economic reforms, as well as the manner in which to overcome those challenges. The participants agreed that, for switching from “slow” to “fast lane” of integration, clear political will of both candidate countries and the European Union was necessary.  Prompted by the question of the Chairperson Radunović on the role of the national parliaments in the EU negotiations, they jointly concluded that inclusion of parliamentarians into this process was necessary in order to make this process have quality and sustainability.

The second session titled “Getting Economic Recovery Back on Course” was dedicated to perspectives of economic progress in the Western Balkan countries. In that regard, it was pointed out that the rule of law, structural reforms and closer cooperation between the countries in the region represented important conditions for further economic development, but also for progress in the EU negotiation process. The new approach to the economic issues and closer cooperation will contribute to greater productivity not only in the region, but in the Europe as a whole as well.

The Summit gathered numerous participants from the European Union and Western Balkans region, such as state and EU officials, representatives of the economic sector and international organisations, academics, social partners, and distinguished journalists.