The Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Igli Hasani, at the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the “Friends of the Western Balkans” group and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BP, emphasized the need for a new approach to the region with a special focus on the economy.

According to the Albanian chief diplomat, economic convergence is the tool that enables the region to promote economic integration before moving to an eventual political integration as the last step of the process.

The focus of the meeting was the deepening of cooperation to accelerate the European integration process of the Western Balkans, as well as the role and contribution of the private sector in the advancement of this cause.

Minister Igli Hasani is in Italy, at the invitation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy, Antonio Tajani.

The Group of Friends of the Western Balkans, established in 2023, unites Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovakia, Greece and Slovenia. The group was created to increase the attention of the European Union to the Western Balkans region and to accelerate the integration process.