Ohrid, 17.06.2022 – The Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, took part in the Prespa Forum Dialogue in Ohrid, Northern Macedonia, in the capacity of a speaker in the session on the topic: “65 years after the Treaty of Rome: Is Europe completely rebuilt and economically integrated?”.

During her speech at the Prespa Forum Dialogue, Minister Rizvanolli reiterated that the Republic of Kosovo is fully committed to regional cooperation and the furthering of the Joint Regional Market.

Rizvanolli stated that: “cooperation can only be built on the basic principles of equal treatment between partners; therefore Kosovo does not support the Open Balkan initiative.”
“The reality that happened in Kosovo 23 years ago, as well as the reality that is happening now in Ukraine, is essential to believe that the region will be unified,” she stated.

The difficult times we are living in, starting with the pandemic and then with supply chain failures, inflation, and the energy crisis, which have further worsened due to the war in Ukraine, also represent concrete opportunities to better assess, and to hope and accelerate regional cooperation.

The Republic of Kosovo sees this, and the democratization of the region and the establishment of legality, as key aspects not only for improving the well-being of our citizens but also for enabling our country’s integration into the European Union, which it aspires to.

Part of the panel alongside Minister Rizvanolli were also: – Minister of Economy in Northern Macedonia, Fatmir Besimi; Minister of Economic Development and Tourism in Montenegro, Goran Đurović; Director of the CEFTA Secretariat, Emir Djikic; and Associate Director of the European Center for Security Studies based in Germany,  George C. Marshall.