Officials of the European Union (EU) and leaders of the Western Balkans held a summit in Tirana on Tuesday, where they discussed the region’s cooperation with the EU, common security and strategic interests, on the basis of which a joint declaration was adopted.
The first point of the declaration clearly defines Russia as an aggressor in Ukraine, stressing that this endangers both European and world peace, which is why the strategic connection of the Western Balkans and the EU is even more important.
This is especially significant due to the fact that the declaration was supported by all countries participating in the summit. Among them is the Chairperson of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Zeljka Cvijanovic, but also the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, despite the earlier creation of an uncertain atmosphere as to whether he will respond to the invitation to the summit.
Cvijanovic already commented on the declaration two nights ago, in an obvious attempt to justify her move, claiming that no declaration was signed.
Confirmation was received from the EU that the declaration actually was not meant to be signed, but that all countries supported it. The declaration itself does not have a legally binding effect, but it is very important in a strategic and symbolic sense because it determines the position of each country. This comes to the fore especially in the context of Russian aggression against Ukraine and the well-known fact that politicians from the BiH entity of Republika Srpska (RS) look at the politics of Serbia, which is trying to play a double game and not condemn the Russian aggression against Ukraine, Klix.ba reports.
E.Dz.
