Speech by RCC Secretary General at the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Leaders Summit

16 June 2025 | SPEECH

RCC Secretary General Amer Kapetanović addressed the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Leaders’ Summit, held in Tirana, Albania on 16 June 2025.

Speaking under the theme “Fostering Stability and Prosperity through Regional Cooperation and EU Integration”, Kapetanović underlined that 82% of Western Balkans citizens support regional cooperation, sending a clear message that people see beyond political divisions and believe in a common future. He called for “leadership not only through declarations, but through concrete actions that make cooperation our default mode, not the exception,” stressing that anniversaries marking 30 years of SEECP and 18 years of RCC should serve as moments for renewal. Presenting RCC’s new three-year Strategy built around smart development, skilled societies, and sustainable futures, Kapetanović emphasised that regional cooperation is not a waiting room for the EU but a platform of strategic value in its own right. He also highlighted the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans as a unique opportunity to close the socio-economic gap, warning that “implementation must follow intent” if governments want to retain the trust of citizens.

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