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2 Years Stability Pact - Its Major Achievements

2 Years Stability Pact - Its major achievements

Enhanced regional co-operation (integral part of the Stability Pact mandate and qualifying element for EU-membership) has improved considerably over the last two years and is by now an established element of regional intergovernmental dialogue. The ownership of this process has gradually shifted to the countries of the region. It has found expression in the revitalised Southeast European Co-operation Process (SEECP), in the regionally and internationally well orchestrated reaction to the crisis in FYR Macedonia, as well as in many regional project proposals and concrete initiatives such as the negotiation of bilateral free trade agreements, an Investment Compact designed to promote private investment in the region, and programs to fight corruption and organised crime.

The Quick Start Package was presented by the Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact to the Regional Funding Conference held in Brussels on 29-30 March 2000. Donors pledged EURO 2.4 billion. One year later, out of 244 projects of all three Working Tables, 201 (82%) are underway. This package has not only generated significant additional amounts of support for the region but has resulted in much faster delivery of promised aid than previously.

The European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and of the Council of Europe have agreed to sponsor the parliamentary dimension of the Stability Pact by creating a Parliamentary Troika covering all aspects and all Working Tables of the Stability Pact. This step will result in closer working relationships between these parliamentary institutions and the Pact and will make parliamentary co-operation a prominent feature of regional co-operation in Southeast Europe.

The admission of Federal Republic of Yugoslavia into the Stability Pact on 26 October 2000 was followed by its gradual integration in the structures of the Pact's Working Tables and their subcomponents. Prior to the democratic changes in Belgrade, the Pact promoted support to the then opposition-governed cities through the Szeged Process as well as material assistance to the independent media in Serbia.

With the strong advocacy of the Stability Pact, the international community has agreed to hold a second Regional Conference in Bucharest on October 25-26. This event reflects the strong desire of the countries of the region, expressed through the SEECP, to schedule a follow-up event to the March 2000 funding conference and to hold this event in the region.

Working Table I on Democratisation and Human Rights

On refugee returns, in recent months a regional stocktaking of outstanding issues has taken place among the three main countries concerned, with donors and international organisations. This comprehensive approach has resulted in an Agenda for Regional Action for Refugees and Displaced Persons, which comprises of a series of bilateral initiatives between FR of Yugoslavia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia. The measures deal with questions of property, housing, pensions, social welfare and the necessary assistance to returnees and those persons, who decide to keep their present residency. This package will be finalised immediately prior to the Stability Pact Regional Table of June 28, 2001.

The Charter for Media Freedom was adopted in Thessaloniki June 2000. Through this initiative, agreed to by all the countries of the region, participants agreed to ensure the highest international standards of freedom of expression. They undertook to launch a process of internal review and dialogue ("public debate") to determine reform requirements and to adjust the situation in their countries to internationally acknowledged norms and standards. The Charter for Media Freedom is a landmark document. It provides a common, shared set of practices and points of reference for media reform and development in the countries of the region.

As long as Yugoslavia remained excluded from the Stability Pact, the Szeged Process (named after Hungarian city) was designed to help opposition-governed townships and support independent media in Serbia and Montenegro. In the meantime, the Szeged Process has been enhanced and contains, as main elements, city and region partnerships and an extension beyond the original beneficiary FR of Yugoslavia to FYR of Macedonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, and Albania.

Issue of gender equality has become a part of the mainstream political agenda in all SP countries, where government and civil society women's groups joined together. The percentage of women elected in national parliaments has increased, as well as the percentage of women appointed to the highest executive positions, where the current regional average percentage of women MP's is 11% and rising. For the first time gender equality mechanisms were established in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Serbia/Vojvodina (FRY).

Working Table II on Economic Reconstruction, Development and Cooperation

A Regional approach to infrastructure projects has been solidly established in South Eastern Europe over the past 2 years with the Quick Start Package acting as a catalyst. Strategic studies in each main infrastructure sector have been developed. These studies will form a common and consensual working basis for all partners, IFIs, donors and countries of the region. A clear and transparent procedure for promoting projects of regional interest has been created.

A Memorandum of Understanding on Trade Liberalisation and Facilitation by Southeast European countries has been signed on 27 June 2001 in Brussels. The major goal of the MoU is to complete the network of free trade agreements in the region by the end of 2002, creating a market of up to 55 million consumers. The agreements will be fully in line with the WTO rules and with relevant obligations of each signatory country vis-à-vis the EU.

The Investment Compact, adopted by the region in early 2001, provides a regional forum to identify and remedy shortcomings regarding macroeconomic environment in order to make the countries of the region more attractive to investors. Apart from an intense policy dialogue, it includes a comprehensive package of flagship initiatives aimed at addressing specific issues in a regional context.

Working Table III on Security Issues

In order to foster a broad security dialogue and promote arms control and confidence building measures, the Stability Pact partners have established a Regional Arms Control Verification and Implementation Assistance Center (RACVIAC) in Zagreb with eighteen participating countries.

Support of Defence Reform and mitigating the human consequences of defence rightsizing is a good example of synergy created by the Stability Pact between specialised agencies and the regional countries, in this case NATO, the World Bank, Bulgaria and Romania. Bulgaria and Romania, with NATO providing expertise, set up retraining programs for redundant military officers to help reintegrate them into the civilian workforce. About 2000 military personnel underwent such training and the program is now being expanded to other SEE countries.

The Stability Pact Anti Corruption Initiative, relying on high-level political commitments, assists countries of the region to enact needed legislation, build up institutions and develop civil society components, to fight corruption. After being formally adopted in February 2000, governments committed to implement the Initiative are Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR of Macedonia, Romania and FR of Yugoslavia. They will benefit from co-ordinated technical assistance programmes.

Asylum and migration, involving either the return of a country's own nationals or future asylum-seekers or migrants from abroad need a truly regional response. The Asylum and Migration Initiative of the Pact has established national action plans and has created five Country Teams to assist in building up the legal framework and the capacities to deal with the issue, including aspects covering the trafficking of human beings.