The German Bundestag hosted the event “Parliamentary Dimension of the Berlin Process,” held on October 9 in Berlin. The event, supported by the German Federal Foreign Office, was organised by the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” from Skopje, in cooperation with Institute Alternative and other partner organisations from the region.
The event brought together MPs from the parliaments of the Western Balkans (WB) and the Bundestag, parliamentary administration, as well as representatives from think tank organisations to discuss their role within the Berlin Process. Our Dragana Jaćimović participated in the conference.
Dr. Anton Hofreiter, Chair of the EU Affairs Committee in the Bundestag, opened the event by emphasising the crucial role of parliamentary diplomacy in promoting this process.
Key Sessions Focused on Regional Cooperation and Sustainability
In the subsequent sessions, parliamentarians addressed the current progress in implementing the Action Plans of the Common Regional Market and the Green Agenda, with a specific focus on digitalisation and decarbonisation. These discussions were guided by the findings of monitoring reports that assess the current level of implementation of these action plans, policy alignment, and capacity-building across the Western Balkans.
Our Dragana Jaćimović presented findings from the monitoring report related to activities in the field of the digital economy and cybersecurity, highlighting the need to strengthen regional cooperation, particularly in activities related to the digital economy. Monitoring report findings were also presented by Anamarija Velinovska (IDSCS), Juliana Bilbilaj (Institute for Political Studies), Violeta Haxholli (Kosovo Democratic Institute), and Marija Stefanović (CRTA).
“The monitoring reports provide valuable insights into the progress made by the Western Balkan countries in the areas of digitalization and decarbonization, as outlined in the Action Plans for the Common Regional Market and the Green Agenda. While there are significant disparities in the levels of implementation across these countries, many initiatives are inherently regional and require cooperative efforts. It is crucial that parliaments leverage this information for effective oversight and monitoring. In doing so, they can hold institutions accountable for their commitments and ensure progress in both digitalisation and decarbonisation,” researchers stated in a joint declaration.
Joint Meeting of the EU Committees and Western Balkan Delegations
The EU Affairs Committee at the Bundestag organized a joint meeting of the EU Committees from the Western Balkans (WB6) and the Bundestag during the Parliamentary Dimension of the Berlin Process event. Representatives of the EU Committees discussed two key topics: EU Enlargement and Reforms and The Future of Regional Cooperation and Connectivity in the Western Balkans.
Exchange of Best Practices Among Parliamentary Staff
A special event for parliamentary staff was organised, focusing on strengthening the capacities of Western Balkan parliaments within the Berlin Process. Representatives from the Bundestag, Jutta Schneider-Schill, Bettina Creaton, and Felix Arndt, from the Bundestag and Bürgerräte, shared best practices on how parliamentary administrations can better support legislative reforms and monitor action plans related to the Berlin Process.
The conference is part of the project “Parliamentary Diplomacy: Regional Cooperation through Enhanced Parliamentary Dialogue,” supported by the German Federal Government, which aims to showcase the benefits of the Berlin Process by strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and utilizing oversight mechanisms by the parliaments of the Western Balkans.
In addition to the Institute Alternative, our project partners in the region are the Institute for Democracy “Societas Civilis” (IDSCS) from Skopje, the Center for Research, Transparency, and Accountability (CRTA) from Belgrade, the Kosovo Democratic Institute (KDI) from Pristina, the Network of Progressive Initiatives (NPI) from Sarajevo, and the Institute for Political Studies (ISP) from Tirana.
