Italy premier voices support for Western Balkans in EU

By Baris Seckin

ROME (AA) - Italy’s prime minister voiced support Thursday for EU enlargement toward the Western Balkans.

“I would like to say that Italy strongly and decisively supports the enlargement of the European Union towards the Western Balkans,” Giuseppe Conte said in a speech at a Central European Initiative (CEI) summit in Rome.

“As a supporter of this enlargement, Italy will always be at the forefront and will continue to support it until this result is achieved,” he said.

Conte said the CEI is celebrating its 30th anniversary and his country played a central role in its birth.

Conte also called for members to support Albania in the wake of an Nov. 26 earthquake that killed 51 people.

“Albania cannot be forsaken. I ask you to contribute to the reconstruction fund in Albania,” he added.

The CEI was established in Budapest in 1989 at the initiative of then-Yugoslavia, Italy, Austria, and Hungary to promote regional cooperation.

The group currently has 18 members: Slovakia, Ukraine, Albania, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Italy, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia.

European integration, regional cooperation, and economic opportunities will be discussed at the summit, said Conte.

*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak