Secretary General: Western Balkan countries play a “central and valuable role” in the Council of Europe

Zoran Zaev, Prime Minister of the Republic of North Macedonia with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić

Marija Pejčinović Burić, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, addressing today the Prespa Dialogue Forum International Conference “Western Balkans: the missing puzzle to complete Europe” in Ohrid, North Macedonia, explained the role of the Council of Europe in helping the region on the path to peace, prosperity and “its rightful place in our common European family”. Alignment with Council of Europe standards is a centerpiece of the EU accession processshe noted.

The Secretary General underlined the “central and valuable role” that the Western Balkan countries play within the Council of Europe, as well as their active efforts to strengthen the independence of the judiciary, fight corruption and organized crime and strengthen media freedom, as well as fight corruption. discrimination and protect the rights of vulnerable groups. “National authorities have taken important steps to bring their legislation and practices into line with European and international standards,” the Secretary-General said, citing the Council of Europe – EU Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey as one of the important mechanisms that support this. “There has been increased compliance with European standards and the EU acquis in all these areas. Further progress will surely come.

Marija Pejčinović Burić also highlighted the confidence-building measures implemented by the Council of Europe in Bosnia and Herzegovina to support reconciliation and democratization across the entity’s border, involving most of the divided municipalities. “More than two decades after the end of the conflict, reconciliation is still a work in progress, but this progress is clear and real and must move forward,” she said.