The President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, will travel to the Western Balkans next week, from June 1 to June 5, to meet with regional leaders and co-chair the EU–Western Balkans Summit, which will take place in Tivat, Montenegro, on June 5.
According to the European Council, the summit will focus on opportunities and challenges related to EU enlargement, gradual integration, regional cooperation, security, and stability.
“My second visit to the Western Balkans sends a clear message: the EU’s commitment to the region is real, and so is the prospect of enlargement. The moment is here. Now is the time to act,” Costa stated.
During his tour, Costa will visit all six Western Balkan countries.
On Monday, June 1, he will be in Sarajevo, where he is scheduled to meet members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina—Denis Bećirović, Željka Cvijanović, and Željko Komšić—as well as the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto.
On Tuesday, June 2, Costa will visit Tirana, where he will meet Prime Minister Edi Rama, President Bajram Begaj, and students of the College of Europe’s Tirana Campus.
He will then travel to Skopje to meet Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski.
On Wednesday, June 3, Costa will be in Pristina, where he is expected to meet Acting President Albulena Haxhiu, Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and leaders of the opposition parties.
On Thursday, June 4, he will continue to Belgrade for meetings with President Aleksandar Vučić, Speaker of Parliament Ana Brnabić, and representatives of civil society.
The visit will conclude in Montenegro, where President Jakov Milatović has invited regional leaders to a dinner in Tivat marking the 20th anniversary of the country’s independence.
On June 5, Costa will meet with President Jakov Milatović and Prime Minister Milojko Spajić in Tivat and will co-chair the EU–Western Balkans Summit under the theme: “Shared Prosperity and Stability of the European Union and the Western Balkans.”
