“Diplo 2024”, the panel on security issues: Strengthening regional cooperation, key to the stability of the region

The proceedings of the second day of the Conference of Ambassadors started with the panel "Stability and current challenges in the region of Southeast Europe", moderated by journalist Baton Haxhiu.

Participants in the panel: Mimi Kodheli, Chairperson of the Committee for Foreign Policy; Bujar Osmani, former MFA of North Macedonia; Majlinda Bregu, General Secretary of the Regional Cooperation Council; Ardian Haçkaj, Director of Research at the Institute for Cooperation and Development, discussed the strengthening of Albania's role as a promoter of regional cooperation and good neighborliness.

The former MFA of North Macedonia emphasized that the political phase of integration should have a regional emphasis.

"In 2002, there were only 0.2% Albanians in Macedonia. There was only one Albanian school, but then Macedonia made changes in principle. "Macedonia had to cooperate with Albania to help it in integration and Albania's position in this aspect was correct", he said.

The General Secretary of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu, said that one of the main factors that has influenced the situation in the region has been the prolonged phase of stagnation.

Majlinda Bregu: "The region today has a new awareness. If 6 years ago less than half of the citizens of the region thought they needed to cooperate with each other, today 82% of them believe that regional cooperation is important. This means that the concept of good neighborliness is also one of the main conditions of European integration for the vast majority of the population," she said.