“Continued dialogue, refraining from divisive rhetoric and unilateral actions, and implementing international agreements are essential to finding a sustainable way forward and ensuring stability, security and prosperity in our region” stressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece, George Gerapetritis during his intervention in the context of today’s Summit of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which took place in Skopje.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs assured that, as far as the Western Balkans are concerned, Greece has not stopped since the Thessaloniki Declaration in 2003 and until today to support the promotion of the enlargement process.

“EU membership has always been – and continues to be – the cornerstone of our policy towards all of our neighbors, both northern and eastern,” Mr. Gerapetritis noted.

In this context, Athens “strongly encourages” and “welcomes” the re-intensified interest and commitment of the EU to the European perspective of the Western Balkans as expressed, inter alia, by the establishment of the Western Balkans Reform and Development Facility , the financial tool for the implementation of the New Development Plan and further integration of the region into the EU, pointed out G. Gerapetritis.

.«However, economic integration goes hand in hand with the implementation of necessary and substantial reforms with particular emphasis on the Rule of Law, human rights, in particular the rights of persons belonging to minorities and vulnerable groups, the fight against corruption and organized crime and the freedom of Press” clarified the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs.

In this context, as he noted, the Western Balkans are called upon to demonstrate the resilience of the democratic culture of their peoples, their ability to conduct free, fair and democratic elections and their willingness to offer all citizens the same respect for individual rights and freedoms their.

Also, as he noted, the states of the Western Balkans should demonstrate that they fully accept and apply all the principles and values ​​on which the Euro-Atlantic institutions are based. An integral part of them and a key integration factor, as Mr. Gerapetritis said, are good neighborly relations.

“The exercise of the foreign policy and the security policy of the countries that seek to enter the European family should be governed by “the recognition of the supremacy of International Law through the full and unconditional implementation of the obligations it entails” added the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Greece.

Mr. Gerapetritis referred in detail to the initiatives that Greece has undertaken and the infrastructures that Greece has created, in order to contribute to the fight against the intense energy insecurity faced by the Western Balkans, especially after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. The Greece-Bulgaria Interconnector Pipeline (IGB), the upcoming operation of the floating liquefied natural gas storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in Alexandroupolis and the additional FSRU unit planned in the future offshore Alexandroupolis (Thrace LNG Terminal) make Greece “a reliable hub natural gas”, as he characteristically said.

On the other hand, as he mentioned, strategic international electricity interconnections, such as the Greece-Egypt/GREGY interconnection and the creation of a new “Green Electricity Corridor”, the so-called “Green Aegean Pipeline Interconnector”, which will feed the markets of of Central Europe with significant amounts of clean energy to be produced exclusively from Renewable Energy Sources in Greece and the EastMed region, significantly enhance energy independence and promote green goals through sustainable decarbonisation.

“Renewing efforts and exploring ways to achieve progress in all areas is our primary goal. Greece is committed to helping all countries in the region in this direction. This is about our common destiny, a better future for our children and grandchildren,” said Mr. Gerapetritis, concluding his speech.