WSF2019 | BREAKOUT SESSION: Significance Overlooked or Ignored? Western Balkans
WSF2019 | BREAKOUT SESSION: Significance Overlooked or Ignored? Western Balkans
The panelists of this breakout session were: Mr. Dobran Božič – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia; Daniel Fried – Distinguished Fellow at the Future Europe Initiative and Eurasia Center, Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs of the United States (2005 – 2009); Mr. Maciej Popowski – Deputy Director-General for Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations at the European Commission; Mr. Péter Szijjártó – Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary.
The panel was moderated by Mr. Bart Szewczyk, Adviser on Global Affairs at the European Political Strategy Centre of the European Commission. It aimed to determine the interests, expectations and future of the Western Balkans, as well as identifying its great international players.
In Minister Szijjártó’s opinion, the process of enlarging the European Union to encompass the Western Balkans has been the best political and economic development in the region. Thus, the enlargement itself should happen as soon as possible. Minister Božič agreed with Minister Szijjártó. He stated that the process of European integration could have happened even faster if the Western Balkans countries respected the rule of law and fought against corruption and fake news. Maciej Popowski also defended the importance of the EU enlargement, and said that the “Western Balkans, as a region, is clearly back on the agenda”. However, he reminded the audience that it is a long process, and that there is a lack of enthusiasm from the rest of Europe for it. Finally, Daniel Fried talked about the necessity of cooperation between the United States and the European Union in the region to thwart the growing influence of China and Russia.
Last but not least, the panelists answered questions from the audience. These questions concerned the current relationship between Kosovo and Serbia, the conditions of entry of those countries into the European Union, and respect for democratic values.
Energy Security as the Foundation for a Just Transition in Post-Industrial Regions
The transformation of post-industrial regions toward sustainable, low-emission economies hinges on one critical factor: energy security. This theme, explored during a high-level panel discussion at the last edition of the Warsaw Security Forum, highlighted the need to transition from coal and other high-emission energy sources to cleaner alternatives such as renewable and nuclear energy. Achieving this shift will require not only technological innovation but also strategic planning, international cooperation, and robust regulatory frameworks.
Polish presidency in the EU: a chance for a sustainable energy transition
The evolving landscape of decarbonization and energy security, with its profound regional and global implications, business operations in Poland. ORLEN is eager to engage in discussions about energy transition and the EU regulations required to facilitate it. The company has prepared a position paper highlighting the key challenges: preserving the competitiveness of the EU market, championing technological neutrality, ensuring access to decarbonization financing, and shifting away from overly prescriptive regulatory approaches.
WSF2024: Summary
The 11th edition of the Warsaw Security Forum (WSF), held on October 1-2, 2024, successfully brought together 2,600 participants from 90 countries, 30 governmental delegations, and over 250 speakers to address critical issues surrounding European and transatlantic security. With 1 million combined online views and over 14,000 live viewers, the WSF reaffirmed its importance as a leading platform for security dialogue in Europe.