The final preparations for the Prespa Forum Dialogue international conference are underway. On July 1 and 2, regional leaders are set to meet with top European and US officials in Ohrid and Oteshevo and discuss at a series of panels the conference’s key topic “Western Balkans: The missing puzzle for completing Europe”, the government said in a press release on Wednesday.

The Prespa Forum Dialogue is based on three pillars: the Ohrid Framework Agreement, the Friendship Treaty with Bulgaria and the Prespa Agreement. These documents create a new, alternative image of North Macedonia and the region as well. They are the foundation for North Macedonia’s modern political and social narrative, which represents an excellent model for successful implementation of contemporary values such as cohabitation, equality, freedom, solidarity, inclusivity and democracy in the Balkans.

The conference’s main topic, the press release read, is an issue that has been in the focus of North Macedonia’s foreign policy, that is, EU accession. The Western Balkans’ EU integration is a strategic issue in North Macedonia, the region and in the European Union. The conference’s theme reflects the fact that international partners see us as active contributors to the realization of this goal.

Transatlantic relations will also be discussed at the high-level panel, focusing on resetting the EU-US synergy towards the Western Balkans. A series of panel discussions will take place as part of the conference focusing on the Western Balkans through the prism of democracy, reconciliation and building trust between nations, transatlantic relations, economic cooperation, civil society and media connections, gender sensibilities and even a separate panel set to be streamed on the Conference on the Future of Europe platform and represent the region’s introduction to the debate, in cooperation with the European External Action Service.

As part of the event, North Macedonia is set to host July 1-2 Slovenian President Milo Đukanović, Montenegrin President Mr. Borut Pahor, four regional Prime Ministers – Edi Rama, Zoran Tegeltija, Ana Brnabić and Albin Kurti, as well as eight Foreign Minister including from Albania, Austria, Montenegro, Croatia, Kosovo, Romania, Poland, Greece, the Czech Republic and Italy.

United States Acting Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Reeker and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US State Department’s Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew Palmer will also attend the conference, in addition to European Commissioner Johannes Hahn, EU Special Representative for the Western Balkans Miroslav Lajčák, Angelina Eichhorst from the European External Action Service  and several MEPs. Event participants and guests from France include: Senator Alain Richard and MP Jacques Maire.

Former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, along with top representatives from the so-called ‘Ohrid Group’ will also attend the conference, together with top OSCE and Council of Europe representatives, including the latter’s Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu, the Secretary General of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office Albert Hani and the Secretary General of the Community of Democracies Thomas Garrett.

The conference will be livestreamed via the Prespa Forum Dialogue YouTube channel and social media platforms. Over 100 domestic and foreign journalists will also report on the event, set to be held in line with COVID-19 measures and health protocols, the press release read.

The Prespa Forum Dialogue international conference is organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and held under the patronage of the Government of North Macedonia.