The EU Meets the Balkans Forum opened here on Tuesday 24 april, for which EU leaders, foreign ministers, prominent public figures and politicians gathered in the Bulgarian capital to discuss steps to enhance regional cooperation and integration in the EU. The forum was named “The EU Meets the Balkans Forum - The Ukraine Lesson: EU Enlargement As Antidote To War”. The meeting aims to highlight the connectivity between the Western Balkan countries as a guarantee for resilience against risks and threats. It has been organized by ALDE in association with the European Liberal Forum (ELF) and the Atlantic Club of Bulgaria (ACB). The forum was opened by Ilhan Kyuchyuk, who is Co-President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).
MEP Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Renew Europe), who is also Co-President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE), said that the issue of the Western Balkans' European integration has taken on a different dimension, becoming a question of security.
According to Kyuchyuk, the EU must grant Ukraine candidate status in June of this year.
The chairman of Movements of rights and freedom Mustafa Karadaiy, as well members of the national assembly also took part in the forum.
There were specials video messages from Jens Stoltenberg, Secretary General of NATO Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament,Olha Stefanishyna, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine
The introduction was followed by а conversation on the costs of the non-integration between Federica Mogherini Rector Collage of Europe and HR/VP of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (2014-2019) and the EU Commissioner for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement, Olivér Várhelyi.
