The main summit of the Berlin Process, which will be held on October 14 this year, will mark the tenth anniversary of this initiative. The Berlin Process was launched in 2014 as an initiative to improve regional cooperation and accelerate reforms on the path of European integration of the Western Balkans. Ten years after its launch, representatives of the governments of the Western Balkans, EU member states, and EU institutions will gather at the Summit in Berlin to discuss opportunities to strengthen cooperation within this initiative.
As in previous years, the Summit of the Berlin Process leaders will be preceded by the Civil Society Forum and think-tank organizations, which will take place from October 9 to 11, aiming to bring together civil society representatives from the region for a discussion on the results of the initiative so far and recommendations for strengthening reforms.
The civil society organizations participating in the 2024 Civil Society Forum have called on the governments of the Western Balkans, EU institutions, the Federal Government of the Republic of Germany, and the governments of EU member states to stand up for European values and the European future of the Western Balkans region and adopt the following conclusions on supporting the rule of law and democracy in the Western Balkans:
- In light of growing concerns about the state of the rule of law and democracy in the region, we call on the governments of the WB6 to demonstrate strong commitment to the implementation of the rule of law standards as a prerequisite for accelerating reforms on the path to European Union membership, in accordance with the EU integration principle “Fundamentals First”;
- We call on the governments of the Western Balkans to refrain from all forms of direct or indirect repression against civil society, activists, and the media in the region, and to oppose the adoption of restrictive laws and regulations that limit the space for civil society to operate.
This initiative has been supported by more than 20 civil society organizations from the Western Balkans, including the Renewables and Environmental Regulatory Institute (RERI).