Italian Prime Minister: Balkan priority to enter our common European home

“We cannot allow this strategic part of our continent to stay outside the European common home for a long time”, Melon said on Tuesday, in a video story at the national conference for “Italy and the Western Balkans: Growth and integration”.

“Italia will continue to fight in order for the Western Balkans European integration process to continue with even more drive and determination”, the Italian prime minister added.

Mellon stressed that many Italian companies are already active in the region and encouraged them to renew their presence there and invest in strategic sectors.

“We have always acted in solidarity with each of our neighbours in difficult times and are on the side of all of our efforts to boost and ensure common security. All this can happen only within a European context”, she said.

Mellon cited among key areas of co-operation against corruption and illegal trafficking, management and curbing irregular migration flows and fighting “radicalism in all its” formats.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tayan has said that the stability of the region is essential.

“The stability of the region is essential, especially because the influx of migration from Turkey passes through the region and it is important to prevent illegal immigration”, said the Italian news agency Ansa.

“Stability also implies the possibility of economic growth and the presence of our companies”, the minister said, adding that the Western Balkans “should become part of the European market”.

At the same time, he stressed that Italy supports acceleration of the region's EU membership processes.

European Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhely also attended the conference, which also stressed the importance of EU enlargement in the Western Balkans and welcomed the progress made so far in this area.

“We have managed to move things from the deadlock in negotiations with northern Macedonia and Albania. Serbia and Montenegro have also shown a higher level of commitment to membership by accelerating reforms”, Varhely said, but warned we should not stop that.

The political integration “does not mean anything if there is no real integration and this includes the economic and social integration of the Western Balkans into the EU”, the commissioner stressed that next month there will be an accelerated “implementation of the economic-investor plan” for the Western Balkans”, which includes 30 billion euros in assistance for the region.

According to the commissioner, this money will be used for investments in large infrastructure projects in the region with the aim of linking energy, transport and the digital economy, which has not occurred in the last 30 years. Only through investments can we change the situation on the ground and fully integrate the Western Balkans into the EU”, Varhely concluded.

The conference, organised by the Italian Foreign Ministry, was held in the northeastern town of Trieste.