Ioannis Armakolas participated at the 9th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum organized by European Economic and Social Committee that took place on October 19 in Thessaloniki.
More specifically he addressed as a keynote speaker the inaugural session: “The state of democracy in South East Europe: civil society “health test” on the road to EU enlargement”.
I. Armakolas stressed among other things that currently due to the ongoing war in Ukraine and the new geopolitical context it seems that the EU’s enlargement process is currently revitalized but this time it should last at least for the Western Balkans. He praised the work of the European Economic and Social Committee saying that their work is a pioneer one, since it also integrates the civic voices in the joint efforts for the rejuvenated EU process and noted that there is also need for a socio – economic dimension in this process so that it could be well received and understood by the citizens of countries in the region. “The EU should move to come closer to the Western Balkans than sit and just wait for the Western Balkans to come close,” he characteristically said. He also explained the policy questions that were successfully addressed during the Civil Society Forum (Berlin Process) in Tirana, which was co-organized by ELIAMEP on 14-15 October.
More details about the Forum & agenda: https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/agenda/our-events/events/9th-western-balkans-civil-society-forum/programme
You may watch the event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8o_TdhFUPU&list=PLHY4yziPsA0KmRtUHMRtLpeRDpv1ZLA3P
