At its meeting in Skopje, the Stability Pact’s highest decision-making body (the Regional Table), which meets twice a year and acts as the general assembly of the Stability Pact Partners, approved its working programme for 2005 and reaffirmed its commitment to further regional co-operation and regional ownership in South Eastern Europe.

The conclusions, adopted unanimously by more than 250 participants from more than 70 partner countries and organisations from around the world, foresee close co-operation between the parliaments in South Eastern Europe, which play an even more important role in the political stabilisation and economic development of the region now that SEE has started to forge closer ties with the EU.  In line with the decision of the participants, the Stability Pact will co-ordinate activities that will result in higher level of expertise both among the parliamentarians and among their staff.  

Speaking about regional ownership in his opening address, Special Co-ordinator Busek said the countries in SEE must not only take responsibility for initiatives which will benefit the region as a whole but must also ensure that the commitments adopted on the political level are implemented and produce tangible results.  “While shortcomings can be partially addressed from the outside, they are ultimately the responsibility of the governments themselves.”  

Touching the same topic, the keynote speaker of the conference, Hungarian MEP and distinguished writer György Schöpflin said that the states in SEE, like other states, are faced with the challenge of how to transform the structures of the states into trustworthy bodies.  “The transformation… requires an elite… ready to act selflessly.  It needs a population that has the… capacity to trust the elite and accepts that the elite is, in fact, acting selflessly.”

The conclusions of the Regional table meeting, which also contain the set of work priorities for 2005, acknowledge that next year will be of great importance for the political and economic development of the region as a number of crucial developments can be anticipated.  Decisions in SEE countries themselves will undoubtedly have an effect on the region as a whole.  “The Stability Pact has an important role in bolstering these developments by supporting the stabilisation and development of the region through facilitating regional co-operation and providing a regular forum for consultations on thematic issues,” the conclusions read.  

Attachments: 

®          Erhard Busek’s Opening Speech

®          Final Conclusions of the Regional Table meeting