President Milanović: Croatia and Slovenia want to help countries in the EU integration process because that is also in our interest

The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović attended the Brdo-Brijuni Process Summit, which was held in Brdo near Kranj in the Republic of Slovenia.

Along with President Milanović and the President of the Republic of Slovenia Borut Pahor, who are co-chairing the initiative, all the leaders of the so-called Western Balkan countries took part in the annual meeting of the Brdo-Brijuni Process, including the President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani, the President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Milorad Dodik and members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Šefik Džaferović and Željko Komšić, the President of Montenegro Milo Đukanović, the President of the Republic of Albania Ilir Meta and the President of the Republic of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić.

A joint statement – Brdo Declaration 2021 – was adopted by everyone at the summit.

“We agreed on a text for the Declaration which is a compromise, someone would say the lowest common denominator, where someone had to give up something. There were certain disputes, disagreements. We could say that the agenda of Kosovo’s President Osmani was more ambitious and that some parts had to be left out due to Serbia’s opposition. I see that as an acceptable price for a document that is good,” President Milanović said after the plenary session in a statement before the press.

He reiterated that Croatia and Slovenia are here to help countries in the EU integration process. “That is the only motive. The motive is neither mentoring nor tutoring … but to help these states, because that is also in our interest,” the Croatian President emphasized.

“It won’t be possible to solve the bilateral problems the states participating in the initiative have as part of the Brdo-Brijuni Process and I think it would be good not to use bilateral problems at all because today that obstructed our work a little,” said President Milanović. “But we entered the port quite patiently and persistently, navigating a ship that did not break down and wasn’t damaged. A compromise, but clear solution behind which we all stand and we’ll see each other in a year in Priština or Belgrade,” he added.

We are here to help our neighbours from the region, President Milanović reiterated, referring in particular to the Republic of North Macedonia. “North Macedonia is in an impossible position and we did not touch on that at all in today’s talks and in the text of today’s Declaration, nor did the Macedonians insist on that,” said the Croatian President, explaining that the conditions that were set for them was the issue. “They have to do with the content in some history textbooks in Macedonia. Croatia and Slovenia had a very lively and dynamic relationship. Slovenia set some conditions, but I never felt nor saw that Slovenia wished to spite Croatia and to essentially stop it and humiliate it. What the official policy of one EU member state is doing to North Macedonia now is what I would call encroachment of someone else’s intimate space. It was demanded of one candidate that is in the process of membership negotiations to define its national genesis in history textbooks in the way requested by the neighbouring state,” said President Milanović, underscoring that he would openly oppose that.

“If your goal is to destroy one who is weaker than yourself just because one is weaker, it never ends well. That is one of the messages we did not convey today in the Declaration text. We have not dealt with things that are of existential importance for countries wishing to become members of the European Union,” President Milanović concluded.

BRDO DECLARATION, 2021

We, the leaders of the Brdo–Brijuni Process met in Brdo on May 17, 2021, for an extraordinary summit celebrating the 10th anniversary of the launch of the initiative.

Importance of the Brdo–Brijuni Process

On the occasion of its 10th Anniversary, we reconfirmed our commitment to the Brdo–Brijuni Process.

Since its inception, the Brdo–Brijuni Process has contributed significantly to the strengthening of good-neighbourly relations and the enhancement of regional cooperation. Furthermore, it has become a platform for sincere and open talks between leaders.

The Brdo-Brijuni Process has also increased the awareness of European Union Member States and institutions about the significance of the     faster enlargement to the Western Balkans.

COVID-19, economic recovery and the EU investment plan

As regards the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic and social ramifications we stressed the need to use the recovery as an opportunity for a green and digital transition that will lead to more sustainable development, offering opportunities to younger generations.

We welcome the adoption of the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans of October 2020, and the fact that it is accompanied by significant financial resources.

As an integral part of Europe, the Western Balkans have the right and responsibility to keep up with the development of EU Member States as much as possible, thus facilitating their EU membership.

Europe, whole, free, united and at peace

We, the leaders of the Brdo–Brijuni Process are advocating for a common strategic vision of Europe, whole, free and at peace. We underline our commitment to peace and stability, including good neighbourly relations.  

The Western Balkans are a part of Europe and Europe’s unification is not complete without Western Balkans.

With the European Union membership, the borders between Member States become less significant, which provides broader space for coexistence of a plurality of national identities.

We once again acknowledge the necessity to account for those who went missing during the conflicts on the territory of former Yugoslavia and reiterate the necessity to investigate the circumstances of their disappearances and bring perpetrators to justice, with the aim to contribute to lasting reconciliation, peace and stability.

Enlargement as a geostrategic priority

Enlarging EU with the entire Western Balkans region is in the EU’s political, security and economic interest, a geopolitical necessity and a paramount political precondition for the stable, prosperous and sustainable future of Europe.

Through a more ambitious and purposeful enlargement process, the EU should more actively engage with all Western Balkans to encourage them to meet the well-established necessary conditions for EU membership as soon as possible.

With the offer of EU membership and removal of Visa regime for the entire Western Balkans, the EU has at its disposal the most powerful transformational political tool.

Each partner is aware that it has to adopt and implement necessary reforms, including in the field of rule of law, democratisation and economy, and is committed to do it faster and more efficiently.  

The absorption capacity of the EU is sufficient enough to accept Western Balkans as new members. We call on the European Union to – and really soon – accelerate the accession process and include in the EU the entire Western Balkans, having in mind the progress achieved by each of them.

We strongly advocate for the opening of membership talks with Albania and North Macedonia, as a matter of urgency, without further delay.

We welcome Slovenia’s intention to hold an EU–Western Balkans Summit during its presidency of the Council of the European Union, and its intention to involve the Western Balkans in the Conference on the Future of Europe that has started on May 9, 2021.

We agree that    …..     will be the next host of the Brdo – Brijuni Process Leaders’ Meeting.

PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas