The Rise of British Presence in the Western Balkans

Z. Great Britain's Ambassador to Tirana, Sean Melbourne, said on Friday (6.07.2012) that his country will increase its presence and engagement in the Western Balkans. At the regional conference “The Berlin- Summit Process of London 2018<18x1>, he presented the summit's main goals. “Development and support of Digital Economy throughout the region, Security Issues and the resolution of bilateral disputes are our main objectives. But the London Summit will also announce new initiatives for security in the region, digital agenda and economic development,” said v. British Ambassador to Tirana Sean Melbourne.

Economic, Political and Security Co-operation

The London summit is the fifth in a series of summits under the Berlin Process, the diplomatic initiative of Chancellor Merkel in 2014, to give new impulses to bring the Western Balkans back ( BP) to the EU. Conference participants estimated that promotion and support of the digital economy is an opportunity for establishing a better business climate, promoting private youth initiatives, resolving the urgent problem of youth unemployment, strengthening regional co-operation. Political co-operation relates to resolving bilateral disputes, overcoming past heritage and strengthening democracy and gender equality in the region.

While strengthening security remains the precondition of more effective meeting common threats such as corruption, organised crime, drug trafficking and human beings, terrorism. On Friday ( 6,07.2018) in Tirana, the Information Exchange Agreement was signed in the field of criminal justice between Albania and Great Britain, namely, investigation and more efficient prevention of anti-legal activities in the territories of the two countries through the exchange of criminal data. The development of the fifth Berlin Process summit in London is an indication of the continued commitment of Great Britain to BP. That although it seems paradoxical after Brex, it's not. This is because stability, security and peace in the region matter both for Great Britain and being outside the EU, as a global factor.

Law enforcement missing at the London Summit.

At last year's previous summit in Trieste, rule of law, the rule of law was included as one of the summit's goals. Jovana Marovic, executive director of the network “Politicizes” in Montenegro, called failure to include the London Summit wrong. “Rule of law is a prerequisite of all reforms that the BP countries are undertaking for progress in approaching the EU. Regional-level civil society at forums held under the Berlin Process has recommended that rule of law be included in the Berlin Process as one of its major objectives. To that end, civil society has even proposed establishing a “Task Regional Force”, Jovana Marovic said.

BP parliaments left out of Berlin process

Two key actors -- the governments of 6 BP countries and their civil societies -- have been in the summits of the Berlin Process. Dr. Majlinda Bregu, former Minister of Integration and the future Secretary of Regional Co-operation, in January 2019, said at the conference that parliaments should be included in the Berlin Process and in the Berlin Plus summit series. The expectations of the London Summit are that it will be a productive Sam in achieving its main goals. But the parliaments of the 6 BP countries should be included in the Berlin Process initiatives. Similarly, the role of the region's civil societies should be institutionalised,” said Dr. Majlinda Bregu.

The London Summit will take place early next week, from 9-10 July 2018. Zoran Nechev, Network Co-ordinator” South-East European Think Tank” and researcher at the Institute for Democracy '%Socias Civilis) said at the conference that “for the first time in this summit would also take part in Greece as an EU member state and that it could contribute to achieving the Berlin Process's goals for progress in bringing the region closer to the EU.”

Greece's efforts to resolve name disputes with Macedonia and Albania for the maritime border between the two countries, as well as the 1941 War Law, which still exists after it has not been ratified by the Greek Parliament, are based on Greece's involvement at the London Summit.