Serious and organized crime, corruption, terrorism, youth unemployment, illegal migration, as well as religious and political extremism are challenges for the countries of the Western Balkans, which, if not resolved, can undermine hard-won progress and become an obstacle to further growth and reforms, said the British Prime Minister Theresa May ahead of the meeting with the leaders of the countries at the EU Summit on the Western Balkans in Sofia.
As she said, the summit will focus on how the UK can help "build the foundations for lasting stability and greater prosperity for all".
According to May, the recent past of our region was undoubtedly difficult, and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia and Serbia, as she said, are still facing numerous threats to progress.
"Therefore, it is in our interest to work together with the region to solve these common challenges, which, in addition to the six countries of the Western Balkans, are also faced by countries throughout Europe and the world. Dealing with such threats is one of the priorities on the agenda of the Western Balkans Summit Balkans, which will be held in London in July, because history teaches us that when the Western Balkans are stable and secure, then the whole of Europe is more stable and secure. Our interests and yours are intertwined and will remain so. The summit in London will work on strengthening regional security cooperation for the purpose of combating common threats such as corruption and organized crime; improving economic stability and the business environment; fostering better political cooperation in order to help the Western Balkans resolve bilateral disputes and overcome the legacy of the conflict of the XNUMXs. Our summit, the fifth to be held in as part of the Berlin Process, together with the Sofia Summit and other high-level meetings taking place this year, are a very real indication that the Western Balkans is once again firmly at the top of the European political agenda, with the United Kingdom standing strongly alongside it," May said. .
The United Kingdom, she points out, entered into diplomatic relations with Montenegro 140 years ago, and the intensity of support from that country is still increasing, she said.
"The United Kingdom has a long-standing and permanent commitment to the region, which is visible through our leading role in conflict resolution in the 140s, the peace agreements that followed, and the post-conflict transition, and I want to assure you that this will continue. To diplomatic relations with Montenegro we joined XNUMX years ago, and the intensity of our support continues to increase, with a particular focus on the government's ambitious reform agenda. Balkans. The government I lead will always stand by those who want to defend these values. And I believe that if we work together, we can overcome the challenges of the present and ensure a brighter, stronger, more prosperous future for the Western Balkans and for all of us in Europe," she said. May.
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