Tirana Connectivity Forum 2022 Recommendations to Czech Presidency of the EU Council

6 October 2022

Ahead of the historically first meeting of a broader format of European countries, the European Political Community, today in Prague, TCF22 organizers have developed the recommendations to the Czech Presidency of the EU Council.

The recommendations highlight the main conclusions resulting from the 8th edition of Tirana Connectivity Forum (TCF22) held on 26-28 September 2022, and have been submitted to the Czech Presidency of the EU. They respond to the Opening Speech of TCF22 delivered by Mr Martin Dvorak, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Recommendations of Tirana Connectivity Forum 22 to Czech Presidency of the EU Council are as below:

• In the current geopolitical context, the European Union should involve Western Balkans 6 in strategic areas of EU decision-making. This will secure Europe’s Southern Flank, increase the EU’s resilience, support the old continent’s growth and a green transition, as well as contribute to the convergence of WB6 with the EU;
• European Union and Western Balkans 6 institutions must create the space and support the engagement of civil society organizations in policy-making. Only transparent, accountable and well-governed institutions can be secure, resilient, reliable and efficient partners;
• European Union and Western Balkans 6 must include the Youth dimension as a transversal component of all their policies and flagship projects in the Western Balkans. Youth should be shapers of EU policies & programs and not only their beneficiaries.

With regard to Recommendation 2 and Recommendation 3, we estimate that the EU Economic and Investment Plan and the EU Green Agenda, by their financial engagement and tangible impact in the daily life of WB6 citizen, are among the most relevant initiatives needing citizen engagement and a structured contribution of CSOs.

TCF22 is part of the Official calendar of the Czech Presidency of the EU for the 2nd Semester of 2022