On May 17, 2018, in Sofia, Bulgaria, the EU-Western Balkans Summit took place.
European Union and Western Balkans leaders gathered to discuss related to the individual development of countries and their integration processes into the EU. As stated by the Council of the European Union, “at the summit EU leaders reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. The EU is determined to strengthen its support to the region’s political, economic, and social transformation.”
European Union leaders agreed on the Sofia Declaration, with which the Western Balkans partners have aligned themselves. They also adopted the Sofia Priority Agenda, as an annex to the declaration, outlining new measures for enhanced cooperation with the region, recognizing also Western Balkans Fund as an important actor for its implementation.
The Western Balkans Fund expresses its high appreciations for being included in the Declaration of the Western Balkans Summit. The Fund, an organization established and supported by WB6 group, is encouraged and motivated to continue supporting Civil Society activities and human mobility in the Western Balkans region, with a special focus on people-to-people contacts.
The Declaration states that European Union and Western Balkans partners agree among the others to “Promote deepening of links among civil societies of the Western Balkans, including through the support for the Western Balkans Fund projects”.
Supporting reconciliation and good neighborly relations in the Western Balkans remains among one of the most important objectives of the Declaration, fully in-line with the mission of the Western Balkans Fund.
The Sofia Declaration in English language and in all the languages of WB6 could be reached here:
