Brdo Conference Overshadowed by Absences

Despite diplomatic efforts, Serbian president Boris Tadic refused to participate in today's gathering in Slovenia, where representatives of Kosovo's institutions were present. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo's independence, which was declared more than two years ago.

Tadic’s refusal to participate in the meeting also had a domino effect with invited high-ranking politicians such as Europe’s president Herman Van Rompey and Spanish minister of foreign affairs Miguel Angel Moratinos deciding not to be present at the conference, entitled 'Together for the European Union: Contribution of the Western Balkans to the European Future'.

Six prime ministers from the region arrived in Brdo, including the co-hosts Croatia's Jadranka Kosor and Slovenia's Borut Pahor, as well as the Chairman of Bosnia's Council of Ministers Nikola Spiric, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, and Montenegrin PM Milo Djukanovic.

Only Kosovo’s Thaci and his Albanian counterpart Berisha were willing to talk to journalists before the conference started.

“Our vision is cooperation and not boycott,” Kosovo’s prime minister said at the doorstep.

Albania’s Prime Minister Sali Berisha stated that Tadic‘s place was at this conference, adding that he regretted that the Serbian president had decided not to participate.

The only politician from Brussels that decided to participate in the conference was enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele, who stated that one day the whole region will become part of EU.

"I beleive that this conference is an important step in the right direction and that regional cooperation will be for the benefit of all," Fuele said.