Stenbock House, 6 May 2020 – At the summit, held via a video conference, Prime Minister Jüri Ratas said that the EU and the Western Balkans are connected by a unique close relationship, a common future, and close cooperation to overcome the COVID-19 health crisis.
According to Prime Minister Jüri Ratas, the European Union has been a reliable friend to the Western Balkans in the current crisis. “Like other Member States, Estonia has demonstrated readiness to support the region in alleviating the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. Both the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the following recovery require the unity and strong cooperation of neighbours,” said Ratas.
“Looking to the future, I believe that innovative solutions, including digital ones, can help us recover from the crisis and make our society more resilient. We are prepared to share our experience in the field of digital solutions,” said the prime minister.
According to Ratas, Estonia remains committed to the enlargement policy based on European values and principles as well as the fulfilment of the conditions of accession. “Based on Estonia’s experience, we can say that our citizens, entrepreneurs, and the society as a whole have benefited from the work that was done to join the European Union,” said Ratas. “Strengthening the stability, security, democracy, and the rule of law in the region is in our interests. I am very pleased that we reached an agreement in March to start accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia,” the prime minister emphasised.
In his speech, Ratas also noted the need to cooperate in the fight against disinformation campaigns, both in the context of COVID-19 and more broadly.
The summit adopted a joint statement reaffirming the solidarity of EU and its Member States with the Western Balkans in the context of the coronavirus crisis. The unequivocal support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans was also reaffirmed.
The EU has put together a financial package of over 3.3 billion euros to help the Western Balkans overcome the COVID-19 crisis and recover from the pandemic. This includes support for the health care sector as well as socio-economic recovery.
The EU-Western Balkans Summit, originally meant to take place in Zagreb, was held via a video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The summit was attended by the leaders of the EU Member States and Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Kosovo.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/stenbockimaja/albums/72157714193956857
