“The exchange of experience between Bulgaria as an EU member state and the countries of the Western Balkans is extremely valuable. Yesterday, roaming prices have dropped in Western Balkan countries, and by 2021 they should be dropped altogether. I hope that the walls between the countries in the region will fall.” This was stated by the Vice-President Iliyana Yotova, who was the first guest at the Regional Academy “European Perspective for the Western Balkans” organized by the Bulgarian School of Politics. Yotova thanked the School for its activities as a whole, for the organization of the Academy and for the revival of the tradition of conducting international forums with participants from this region.

27 young civic leaders from Bulgaria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia are participating in the Western Balkans Regional Academy “European Perspective for the Western Balkans”. Among them are journalists, experts, civil servants, representatives of non-governmental organizations. All of them are graduates of the political schools in their countries.

In front of the participants, the Vice-President of Bulgaria expressed her conviction that the place of the countries of the Western Balkans was in the European Union. According to Yotova, the issue of the enlargement of the Union should not come out of the agenda of Europe. The Vice-President also highlighted Bulgaria’s leading role in the European integration of the Western Balkans and said that there was no dilemma between economic partnership with the Western Balkans and political enlargement.

The visit of the Vice President ended with many questions from the participants.

The Regional Academy “European Perspective for the Western Balkans” is held from 2 to 6 July in Sofia.