{"id":16878,"date":"2021-07-06T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-07-06T08:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/?p=16878"},"modified":"2021-07-06T14:30:06","modified_gmt":"2021-07-06T12:30:06","slug":"majlinda-bregu-the-eu-has-lost-its-old-charm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/euronews.al\/en\/majlinda-bregu-the-eu-has-lost-its-old-charm\/","title":{"rendered":"Majlinda Bregu: The integration process has lost its old charm"},"content":{"rendered":"

Countries of the Western Balkans haven\u2019t shown efficacy in absorbing sufficient projects and funds from the European Union.<\/p>\n

These were the remarks expressed by the General Secretary of the Council on Regional Cooperation, Majlinda Bregu, during her interview on Euronews Albania\u2019s \u2018Raw Politics\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order to have a regional project, there need to be regional ideas and bank lobbying. We haven\u2019t been successful in absorbing regional projects. I am referring to the entire region, because I understand that people usually speak about what hurts them the most, but I am forced to speak about the region,\u201d said Bregu.<\/p>\n

Bregu also touched upon today\u2019s discussions at the Berlin Summit, saying that the main message shared today was that: the bilateral problems between countries of the Western Balkans shouldn\u2019t in any way, become an obstacle for the agenda of regional development.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday\u2019s message, even though it was the last summit under the leadership of Merkel, was the continuation of our regional cooperation and so that we are careful to not let bilateral problems impede on our regional agenda,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

Bregu also told host, Erla M\u00ebhilli, that Albania\u2019s and the other countries of the region\u2019s road to the EU, is being stalled because of the fact that the European Union has lost its \u201cpast charm\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cSince November of last year, there has been a plan that is called the joint regional market of the 6 countries of the Western Balkans. It is a project, which today, has lost its past charm. We cannot wait another 30 years in this region, to say that we are members of the EU, when EU member states are exhibiting problems amongst one another and in their cohabitation.<\/p>\n

We have always worked hard to keep the European narrative alive in our region, but you can\u2019t keep a narrative alive by\u2026 a political cycle only lasts 4 years, for the prime minister of the Netherlands and the prime minister of North Macedonia alike, everyone wants a success story in their political career, we can\u2019t wait 15 years and have nothing happen,\u201d noted Bregu during her interview on Euronews Albania\u2019s \u2018Raw Politics\u2019.<\/p>\n

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