The European Integration Committee delegation included Committee members Stanislava Janosevic and Dr Ana Jakovljevic.

The meeting of the COSAP Conference was attended by delegations of the European Integration Committees of the parliaments of the COSAP member countries, as well as other parliamentary delegations as special guests.

The meeting was held in the spirit of marking twenty years since the establishment of the COSAP.

In the introductory part of the meeting, the attendants were addressed by Elisa Spiropali, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, Igli Hasani, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, and HE Silvio Gonzato, Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Albania.

The first panel “20 years from Sarajevo, a new approach of COSAP, stronger together", was opened with introductory speeches by Agnieszka Pomaska, Chair of the EU Affairs Committee of the Polish Sejm, and H.E. Karl Bergner, German Ambassador to Albania. The panel was moderated by Jorida Tabaku, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Albania.

After the introductory speeches, the parliamentary delegations of the COSAP members, as well as the other parliamentary delegations present, addressed the audience. European Integration Committee member Stanislava Janosevic, noted that in the past 20 years, only Croatia has become a member state of the European Union, while the other founding members of COSAP are still in the process of European integration. She emphasised that the strategic goal of all candidate countries is to become members of the European Union. She noted that Serbia is ready to continue expressing its unequivocal commitment to sharing the goals and values on which the European Union is founded, with the ambition to fully align with the acquis communautaire with the aim of closing accession negotiations by the end of 2026.

Key speakers during the second panel, “From political discussion to functional cooperation – the WBC gap”, were Monika Petrova, Senior Political Advisor at the Regional Cooperation Council, and Albert Hani, Secretary General of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office. The panel was moderated by Etilda Gjonaj, Deputy Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Albania.

During the discussion of this panel, Stanislava Janosevic emphasised that the transition from political discussion to functional cooperation is not an easy process, but it is inevitable for building peace, stability and prosperity in the Western Balkans. In that regard, she particularly emphasised that Serbia attaches great importance to regional cooperation and is a participant in a number of regional initiatives and forums that contribute to the EU integration process, improving regional cooperation and building peace and stability in the Western Balkans. She said that deeper economic integration is an important step towards functional cooperation, in order to ensure a better future for all citizens. In the conclusion of her address, she drew attention to the fact that the European Union is the most important partner of the Western Balkans region, but that we must not forget that building cooperation within the region itself is equally important.

After the panels were completed, it was noted that the Working Group for the amendment of the COSAP Rules of Procedure had failed to reach a common solution regarding the amendments to the Rules of Procedure.

There was no discussion on the adoption of the Draft Joint Statement.

On the sidelines of the 21st COSAP meeting, the delegation of the National Assembly’s European Integration Committee had a bilateral meeting with the delegation of the European Integration Committee of the Parliament of Georgia.