OPEN LETTER TO THE EUROPEAN UNION LEADERS
Sign the public petition here: https://forms.gle/W2M5jMmzTKhFcx866
Western Balkans Integration in the European Union is a matter of security!
Honourable President of the European Council, Charles Michel,
Honourable High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell,
Honourable Members of the European Council, H.E. Presidents and Prime Ministers of the European Union national governments,
Young people from Western Balkans are calling on your urgent action. Will you hear the voice and the needs of young people and act now?
The Western Balkan region has always been an important part of Europe and its economy, security and stability in the region. Therefore, in the last years the EU has developed different policies to support the gradual integration of the Western Balkan countries with the Union.
Over the years, many generations of young people in the Western Balkans have grown up with their vision and desire to live and work in their homeland, in a country part of the European family, with the same opportunities and under the same values as their peers in EU member states. In the end, they managed to achieve this, but by living abroad, away from home, in one of the developed European countries, members of the Union.
Hundreds of thousands, usually young people have left Western Balkan countries and moved to EU countries to pursue further education or work. Also, a large percentage of young people aged 15 to 29, want to leave with no intention of returning, which is a worrying fact.
The brain drain and high emigration rates are doing massive damage to the prospects of the Western Balkans and we believe that a stronger EU perspective can reverse this outflow.
We are aware of the limitations and constrains of EU’s power, however having in mind that six Western Balkan countries are still among the poorest in Europe and their pace of convergence with European standards is slow, we hope that the development of this region within the EU will move faster and will produce visible results – thus offering the young generations a chance to work and live at home and to contribute to their countries’ fair and just progress and development.
The integration of the countries from the Western Balkan region in the EU has been an on-going process for almost two decades now. Nevertheless, we still believe that today, more than ever, the upcoming decisions will be crucial for the future of our region and our youth.
Faced with an unprecedented crisis in Europe, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic and ending with a devastating war in Ukraine, the Western Balkans’ region is experiencing a never-ending socioeconomic crisis, with particular significant effects on women and young people.
Even so, and especially during times of crisis we have seen the impact young people can bring to their communities when their voices are heard. Therefore, we decided to raise our voice now, to emphasize the importance of this moment and our expectations from current leaders to deliver the hope young people need.
And what are our needs? We, the Balkan Youth, want an inclusive and sustainable future for us and the next generations in our own countries. We want to have equal opportunities for decent jobs, education or training, to have equal rights to travel and explore. We feel European, we are part of Europe, therefore we want our countries to have equal treatment and our citizens equal rights, as all European citizens. We want to fight together against climate change, to ensure both the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2030, because not only our needs but also our priorities are the same as young people all over Europe.
The Future of Europe must include Western Balkan countries and the voice of young people must be heard when creating the direction of Europe’s development, based on their expectations and their needs.
We acknowledge the political gesture put in by the European institutions to mark this year as the European Year of Youth. We appreciate the fact that Tirana, the capital of Albania, has been declared as the 2022 European Youth Capital. We have shown that we share the fundamental European values and young people are committed to the European principles and values, therefore deserve a future within the EU.
But we urge you, each and every single one of the elected European leaders of the present, to make change happen for a better future. It is high time for the Western Balkans accession to the European Union.
Therefore, we call upon European leaders and the European Council to:
- Follow the recommendations overwhelmingly approved by the European Parliament, in the reports 2021/2244 (INI) for Albania and 2021/2248(INI) for North Macedonia, and initiate the negotiations for the EU Accession with Albania and North Macedonia;
- Promote and organize the first intergovernmental conferences for opening the accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia latest by the end of the year.
We sincerely believe and expect, that our calls will take an impact and you will demonstrate the political will and the capability of the EU to react rapidly and effectively and to reaffirm the EU commitment to peace and stability in the Western Balkans region and giving the young people’s hope that now is the time to move forward on EU integration and Western Balkans are part of the European family.
Sincerely,
Bruno Gonçalves – IUSY Secretary General
Ana Manasieva – IUSY Vice President for the Western Balkans
Marko Mihailoski – President of Social Democratic Youth of Macedonia (SDYM), North Macedonia
Stefan Ninić – President of Democratic Youth (DY), Serbia
Floida Kërpaçi – President of Youth Movement for Integration (LRI), Albania
Amina Cikotić – President of Social Democratic Youth (SDY), Montenegro
Sonja Milatović, President of Youth Council of Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), Montenegro
Luka Goršek, President of Youth Forum of Social Democrats (Mladi Forum), Slovenia
Glindxhet Madhi – President of Forum Eurosocialist Youth (FESYA), Albania
Suad Beganović, President of Youth Forum Socialdemocratic Party (SDP), Bosnia and Herzegovina
Lovro Lukavečki, President of Croatian Social Democratic Youth (CSDY), Croatia
Young people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia.