Balkans leaders urge cooperation to boost economies
(DUBROVNIK) - Heads of state of eight Balkan countries urged Monday closer economic ties between them as a key means for reviving and making competitive their small economies.
Croatian President Ivo Josipovic hosted his counterparts from Albania, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia at a meeting of regional business leaders on cooperation potential, a day ahead of a summit to be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
"I urge business leaders to support policies that favour cooperation," Josipovic told participants of the meeting.
Some political forces in the volatile region, torn apart by a series of wars in the 1990s, were hampering economic cooperation, he said.
"We are lagging behind the European Union," he said and warned that the countries in the region should undertake joint efforts to achieve the 28-nation bloc standards.
"We all have a real interest for a better cooperation, joint performance on third markets, to make this area an area of cooperation and success."
His view was echoed by his Balkans counterparts.
"We will not be able to achieve goals that each of us has only by our respective countries," Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said.
Some 100 businessman, who met at the two-day meeting that kicked off on Monday, were discussing cooperation notably in the food industry, energy and tourism.
Head of Croatia's Employers' Association Ivica Mudrinic labelled regional cooperation a "natural state for relatively small economies and markets."
The region represents five percent of the EU population but creates less than 1.0 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP).
On Tuesday, the eight Balkan heads of state were to meet together with Merkel to review the region's further approach to the EU.
It will be the second meeting of its kind and the initiative was launched last year jointly by Croatia and Slovenia, both EU members.
"The arrival of Chancellor Merkel ... shows that Europe is interested, recognising in its members Croatia and Slovenia the leading forces of European politics towards the region," Josipovic told reporters.
"No one is excluded, everyone is welcome but of course everyone has to meet certain conditions," Josipovic concluded.
Last year's summit held in Slovenia was attended by French President Francois Hollande.