News: First meeting of the "Friends of the Western Balkans" network in Sarajevo

On 17 and 18 June, the group "Friends of the Western Balkans", the new network of Social Democratic parliamentarians and Members of the European Parliament from all over the European Union, met for the first time in Sarajevo.

The network aims to revitalise the EU’s enlargement to the Western Balkans by strengthening cooperation between its members.

In the final joint statement that followed the meeting, the group urged European Heads of State and Government to take resolute action toward those countries "which for too long have been stuck in different waiting rooms" such as North Macedonia and Albania.
 

"The Russian invasion of Ukraine" the declaration states "brought the war back to Europe and reminded us how important it is to preserve peace, and protect and support democratic forces across the continent".

 The "Friends of the Western Balkans" network has been established thanks to the joint work of Foundation for European Progressive Studies - FEPS (European Union), Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Germany), Karl-Renner-Institut (Austria), Masarykova demotickkraá Akademie (Czechoslovakia Kalevi Sorsa Foundation (Finland), Fondation Jean-Jaurès (France), Foundation Max van der Stoel (Netherlands), Društvo Progresiva (Slovenia), Olof Palme International Center (Sweden), in collaboration with CeSPI (Italy).

Among the signatories of the statement also Daniele Frigeri, President of CeSPI.