Balkan Presidents Meet in Macedonia

Ohrid | Photo by: B.K.

Albania’s Bamir Topi, Montenegro’s Filip Vujanovic and Kosovo’s Atifete Jahjaga are attending the two-day gathering, hosted by Macedonia’s president Gjorge Ivanov, which started on Monday.

The main topics on Tuesday’s agenda are energy and infrastructure. Several cross-border cooperation projects will be proposed, according to Darko Kostadinovski, a foreign policy advisor in Ivanov’s cabinet.

The leaders will also focus on mutual activities related to EU and NATO integration, and the enhancement of democratic and reform processes.

The meeting is third for the group. The first was held in Vlora, Albania in 2009, and the second in Prizren, Kosovo, in 2010.

President Ivanov said that future meetings are open to other regional leaders, including the Greek and Serbian presidents.

After the official meetings end on Tuesday, the presidents will enjoy a boat tour of Lake Ohrid. Afterward, they will attend the grand opening of the most prestigious cultural event in the country, the Ohrid Summer Festival.