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Southeast Europe
September 1, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 13
wants to become part of Nato it should implement the Bucharest decision, which requires finding a solution to the name dispute.
“We want to see our dear northern neighbour joining Nato and the EU, but for that to happen it must be in accordance to EU and Nato rules,” Kotzias was cited as saying.
Kotzias also underlined that there have been positive results from the confidence building measures so far, and that relations are improving faster than with other neighbours.
“We will build pipelines, launch cooperation between universities and will establish cooperation between police of the two countries for the security of the whole region,” Kotzias said.
However, illustrating the outstanding issues between the two countries, Kotzias traveled to
Western Balkans countries adopt action plan to deepen economic cooperation
bne IntelliNews
Six Western Balkans leaders adopted on August 26 a 115-point action plan to deepen their eco- nomic cooperation as part of the EU integration process.
The plan includes forming a joint economic area that will provide opportunities for businesses
and citizens and will boost economic growth and employment. The plans are based on agreements reached between leaders of the Western Balkans countries at the Trieste summit earlier this year.
Macedonia by car to avoid landing in Skopje’s Alexander the Great airport. The ancient military hero is claimed by both Greece and Macedonia.
The previous VMRO-DPMNE-led government erected a number of statutes in Skopje including one of Alexander the Great, in a move that infuriated Greece. The statues were part of
the project to revamp the capital that cost over €700mn.
Dimitrov, however, took a more conciliatory
tone on the issue than his predecessors. Asked about whether the new Macedonian government plans to rename the airport or the motorway also named after Alexander the Great, or to remove some monuments of ancient historic figures from downtown Skopje, Dimitrov said that the government does not strive for “Greater Macedonia” but for “Greater Europe”.
Western Balkans prime ministers meet in Durres, Albania.
The action plan was adopted at an informal meet- ing of the prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which was held in the Albanian coastal city of Durres. EU Enlargement Commissioner Jo- hannes Hahn and World Bank vice president Cyril Muller also attended the meeting, which was held under a heavy police and army presence.
“The action plan is aimed to make the region more attractive for investments and is focused on