Other topics to be discussed included actions that must be taken to help resolve bilateral conflicts and strengthen dialogue between communities, which covered the reconciliation process between representatives of the young generation. The Polish side voiced its support for the EU’s enlargement policy and aspirations of the Western Balkan countries to join the EU. Poland also expressed their will to be involved further in the Western Balkans in political, economic, and expert terms.

Polish Presidency in the Berlin Process

Poland joined the Process in 2018 and led it in 2019. The presidency culminated in the Western Balkans summit held in Poznań (3-5 July 2019). The 2019 Polish Presidency and the achievements of the Poznań summit were highly valued. We completed over 100 political, social, cultural, and publication projects.

Following the conclusion of the Berlin Process presidency, Poland continued to support the Western Balkans countries. In 2020, we helped Albania deal with the consequences of the earthquake (EUR 2.7 million), while during the pandemic, we provided six Western Balkans countries with a donation of hand disinfectants (60,000 litres in total) and disposable surgical masks (600,000 masks in total). Poland also provided support in the form of repatriation of several dozen citizens of Western Balkans countries under the LOTdoDomu programme.

In 2021, we continue the scholarship offer for young people from the Western Balkans under the Banach scholarship scheme, which was started in the Polish Presidency year. We are also completing our works on training projects dedicated to young Western Balkans journalists and aimed to combat misinformation. We also submitted an offer to sell, without any profit, 2 million doses of the Astra Zeneca vaccine to Western Balkans countries. In addition, Poland made a voluntary contribution of EUR 750,000 to COVAX – a global initiative of governments and producers of pharmaceutical products to provide COVID-19 vaccines for those who need it the most.

Berlin Process – support for regional cooperation in the Western Balkans

The Berlin Process supports regional cooperation in the Western Balkans as well as economic development and reforms there, which serves to complement the EU’s enlargement policy. This initiative was formed by Germany during the 2014 Berlin summit. Other summits were held in Vienna, Paris, Trieste, London, Poznań, and Sofia.

The Berlin Process includes the Western Balkans countries that are candidates (Montenegro, Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania) and potential candidates (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo) for membership of the European Union. Apart from Poland, the initiative also includes several EU Member States such as Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Germany, Slovenia, Italy, and Great Britain.

One of the most important Berlin Process achievements was the establishment of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office, which is an international cooperation organisation formed in 2016 by the governments of Western Balkans countries. The objective of the organisation is to promote reconciliation between representatives of the young generation from the entire region.