The penultimate working day of the Regional Academy “European Perspective for the Western Balkans” was devoted to meetings and discussions with representatives of the state and local authorities.
The young leaders from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Kosovo, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia and Serbia visited the Bulgarian National Assembly at the invitation of its President and a graduate of the Bulgarian School of Politics Mrs. Cveta Karayancheva. Before talking to her, the participants in the Academy attended the session of the National Assembly. During the meeting, they asked the President of the National Assembly to share with them the experience of Bulgaria in the negotiation process for EU membership and in the harmonization of legislation with European norms. After that, the representatives of the seven Balkan countries had a tour of the National Assembly and got acquainted with its history.
The meeting with the Mayor of Sofia, Mrs. Yordanka Fandakova, was held in the meeting room of the city council. The Mayor of Sofia spoke about the opportunities our capital had received with Bulgaria’s EU membership. Mrs. Fandakova provided examples of a waste-treatment plant, the subway, the modernization of urban land transport, the opportunity for young people to travel and educate themselves around the world.
“The BSoP is my school. Before I became a mayor, I attended lectures and classes at the School and felt very happy. Certainly, the BSoP has given me a lot, but one piece of advice is extremely important: have fun during your studies, because the work as a politician is very difficult”, the Mayor of Sofia addressed the young leaders.
The working program of the day ended with a meeting at the Council of Ministers with the Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Tomislav Donchev. For more than an hour, the participants talked with the him about economic issues. Tjey also asked him about his opinion on the need for a change in the profile of the Balkan politician.
Afterwards, it was time to get acquainted with the history and sights of Sofia. With the help of a guide, the young people, participants in the Academy, had a look at the Bulgarian capital.