Dr. Lagumdzija and the foreign ministers of the region have gathered in New York during the UN General Assembly: The priority is economic cooperation and joint projects supported by the EU



Ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr. Zlatko Lagumdzija organized and participated in events aimed at promoting regional cooperation, with special emphasis on joint projects in the field of economy, infrastructure and energy.

Dr. Lagumdzija hosted and chaired the meeting of the Western Balkans Foreign Ministers which was also attended by Federica Mogherini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Italy which currently presides over the EU and the next EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council and representatives of Germany, Croatia and Austria.

During the discussion with Minister Mogherini, Italy’s support for Bosnia and Herzegovina as a sovereign state and the Western Balkan countries on the path towards the EU has been confirmed, as well as the need of the EU to have the Western Balkans region in focus in the future.

Following the Conference on the Western Balkans that were held in Berlin last month under the auspice of the German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a high-level meeting was organized as the preparation for the meeting of foreign ministers and ministers of economy of the region to be held in Belgrade next month and by then details of the projects of common interest need to be finalized.

At the meeting chaired by Dr. Lagumdzija, Foreign Ministers discussed the implementation of specific projects important for the region, including wider area. Commissioner Füle has presented a document to ministers which relates to defining main priorities of cooperation between the Western Balkan countries in the coming period, with special emphasis on projects that could be implemented immediately, but also large energy and infrastructure projects.

Dr. Lagumdzija said that the meeting is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of regional projects that should contribute to faster linking and developing countries of the region and improvement of living standards. The European Union is ready to provide EUR 11.7 billion in the coming period, through IPA funds and to allocate extra EUR billion of grants, as well as new 10 billion through international financial institutions.

In other words, if regional countries enhance economic cooperation than regional projects can have impact on increasing economic assistance to these countries.

He pointed out that subsequently the new approach of the European Commission towards the Western Balkans which focuses on the good management of the economy, growth and employment, the Conference on the Western Balkans in Berlin has confirmed the readiness of the European Union, Germany and other EU countries to assist the region in increasing competitiveness, infrastructure linking, improving the energy sector, strengthening small and medium enterprises, reform of the judiciary and the rule of law.

This means that it will facilitate the realization of the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway and Ionian-Adriatic Pipeline (IAP) projects, as well as regional projects of prevention and management of natural disasters: between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia - establishment of a regional centre for warning and flood monitoring; between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Montenegro - establishment of a regional centre for prompt action in the prevention and fire fighting, as well as construction of the railroad Nikšić - Trebinje - Capljina and modernization of the railway line from Sarajevo to Belgrade via Tuzla and Zavidovici.

The same day Dr. Lagumdzija participated in the first trilateral meeting of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Serbia - Turkey that was held after a gap of 16 months. During the meeting with Foreign Ministers of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Turkey Ivica Dacic and Mevlut Çavusoğlu it was agreed to hold a meeting in Sarajevo next month in order to make preparations for the trilateral meeting between Prime Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Turkey that should be held in Belgrade.

Also, it was agreed to continue the maintenance of trilateral meetings at a high level in the coming period, primarily aimed at strengthening cooperation in the field of economy and investment, education, and joint venture on third markets.

During the first day of the visit to New York, Dr. Lagumdzija hosted a trilateral meeting Neum Initiative (Bosnia and Herzegovina - Montenegro - Croatia) with the participation of Foreign Ministers of Montenegro and the Republic of Croatia, Igor Luksic and Vesna Pusic to whom he handed over the chairmanship of the Neum Initiative.

During the meeting they discussed projects that are priority within the Neum Initiative which refer to strengthening the cooperation of local communities on the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Croatia, especially in the field of fire protection of border areas. They also discussed the project Adriatic Provence which is planned to strengthen cooperation in the field of tourism which would create conditions for demographic and economic development of local communities and developing cross-border cooperation with support of European funds.