President Pahor in Tirana: “With EU membership, borders between countries become less important and there is no need to change them”

Today, the President of the Republic of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, paid a working visit to the President of the Republic of Albania, Ilir Meto, in Tirana. The meeting was intended to discuss the preparations for the summit of the leaders of the Brdo-Brijuni Process initiative, which will take place in Slovenia on 17 May 2021 to mark the tenth anniversary of the initiative.

After the meeting, President Pahor said in a statement for the media that he is pleased that he had the opportunity to have a long and honest talk with President and friend Ilir Meto about the situation in the Western Balkans, which will be the main topic of the Brdo-Brijuni Process meeting. “The meeting will be attended by the leaders of the initiative which has been trying for 10 years to promote reforms in the Western Balkans for quick admission to the European Union and, of course, to encourage the European Union to remain active and dynamic in this geopolitical project”, said President Pahor, who also expressed his conviction that this meeting will be one of the most important in the last ten years.

According to the President of the Republic, the leaders of the Brdo-Brijuni Process initiative are able to find new dynamics, a new impetus and reflection on the European Union’s enlargement process with their own experience and consensus: “This is not only of great geopolitical importance but of irreplaceable importance for the peace, stability and security of this region and of Europe as a whole”.

President Pahor expects and will strive for the leaders to give a strong and convincing message in the final document of the meeting about the importance of the enlargement process, which must be faster and have in mind not only individual countries but the entire Western Balkans.

“With EU membership, borders between countries become less important and there is no need to change them. We know from historical experience that border changes do not take place without casualties”, said the President of the Republic.

The President of the Republic also had interviews with some media outlets in Tirana.

President Pahor already met yesterday with the President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović; in March with all three members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Milorad Dodik (Chairman), Šefik Džaferović and Željko Komšić; and in September last year with the President of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Steve Pendarovski.

In the days leading up to the Brdo-Brijuni Process meeting in Slovenia, President Pahor will meet in separate meetings on Thursday, 13 May 2021, in Pristina, with the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, and on Friday, 14 May 2021, in Belgrade, with the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić. After that he will meet with the President of the Republic of Croatia and the co-leader of the initiative, Zoran Milanović.

All the leaders of the initiative’s member states confirmed their attendance at the Brdo-Brijuni Process meeting on 17 May 2021: the President of the Republic of Croatia, Zoran Milanović; the President of Albania, Ilir Meta; the President of Montenegro, Milo Đukanović; the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani; the President of the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Stevo Pendarovski; the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic; and all three members of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s presidency, Milorad Dodik (Chairman), Šefik Džaferović and Željko Komšić.


Photo: Bor Slana/STA