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18 Mar 2024
Opportunity for SEE students: RCC to provide one scholarship for College of Europe Tirana Campus as of 2024 news

RCC Board approves the Report of the RCC Secretary General Sarajevo – The participants of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board approved the Report of the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, on the activities of the organisation in the period November 2023 – February 2024, and commended the work of RCC, confirming their full approval of the forthcoming phase's planned ...


18 Mar 2024
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT For the period 1 November 2023 – 1 February 2024 report

Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 November 2023 – 1 February 2024 was presented by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the 51st RCC Board meeting on 18 March 2024.


16 Mar 2024
Painting the Western Balkans’ Labour Markets in Brighter Colours - Op-Ed by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu article

Op-ed by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu discusses the evolving labor market trends in the Western Balkans, highlighting a decrease in unemployment rates but also pointing out significant challenges such as skill shortages, emigration of talented workers, and disparities in vocational education participation. It emphasizes the importance of addressing these challenges ...


08 Mar 2024
Women’s economic empowerment is not a luxury news

Watch full video “The most dangerous phrase in the language is “We’ve always done it this way”. It’s 8 March today, and the buzzword you are getting from all around is “Women’s day”. So, the note of ours on this day is on women. Women continue to face disadvantage and discrimination in all areas of economic life. Mothers around the Western Balkans ...


29 Feb 2024
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the Regional Summit on Growth and Convergence Plan speech

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu spoke at the Speech by RCC Secretary General at the Regional Summit on Growth and Convergence Plan in Tirana on 29 February 2024. Bregu said: ""The time is ticking on defining the future of our region that is working in two parallel streams right now. The first is the work on national reform agendas advancing the path to the EU, ...


29 Feb 2024
Bregu: The time is ticking on defining the future of our region news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the WB Leaders Summit in Tirana  Tirana - In a Joint Statement issued at the Growth and Convergence for the Western Balkans Six Conference held in Tirana today the Leaders of the Western Balkans Six (WB6) commended the work of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), underscored the region's commitment to integration and emphasized enhanced cooperation ...


08 Feb 2024
Opening speech by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Western Balkans Coordination Meeting “Revolve to Evolve - Go Circular” speech

Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened the Western Balkans Coordination Meeting dubbed “Revolve to Evolve - Go Circular” on 8 February 2024 in Pristina. Among other things Bregu said: Though becoming a hotspot for climate change, our region, which finds itself all too often crushed against the heaviness of various socio-economic or political crises, can often instinctively resort to myopic ...


08 Feb 2024
Bregu: Circular economy strategies can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create hundred thousands of jobs and unlock trillion dollars worth economic opportunity news

RCC launches Western Balkans Green and Circular Economy Stakeholders Platform as part of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) launched the Western Balkans Green and Circular Economy Stakeholders Platform, consisting of government, business, donor, and CSO representatives, at a high-level meeting taking place in Pristina today.  "Though ...


24 Jan 2024
Interview with RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for KDPolitik.com interview

Online portal KDPolitik.com published an interview with Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). Bregu spoke about the imperative of implementing national reform, creating a Common Regional Market, joining the EU Single Market and EU accession, and preventing blockage of regional processes.


22 Jan 2024
New Phase of the Common Regional Market to Be Ready for Leaders' Endorsement at the Next Berlin Process Summit news

Skopje - The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, took part in the Western Balkans Meets EU, a WB leaders' meeting in Skopje today. The meeting dedicated to the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans has been hosted by the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Dimitar Kovachevski.  "The future prospect for the Western Balkans is going to be the ...


08 Jan 2024
Secretary General Bregu for RTV Klan's "31 Minuta" interview

RTV Klan's show "31 Minuta" featuring Regional Cooperation Council's Secretary General Majlinda Bregu's statement on youth exodus and how much it costs our region, but also on policies to keep our youth in the Western Balkans.


13 Dec 2023
Speech by RCC Secretary General at EU-WB Summit speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu addressed the EU-WB Summit which took place on 13 December in Brussels. "One year after the EU-WB Summit in Tirana, we feel that the pace and sense of heightened urgency for reforms and regional cooperation on the side of the region, and for institutional and budgetary preparedness of an EU fit for enlargement, is more palpable. Deepening our economic integration ...


13 Dec 2023
Bregu: Fully functional Common Regional Market can be our vessel to the EU Single Market news

EU-WB Summit reiterates that the Common Regional Market is a stepping stone for EU integration Brussels - The European Union (EU) and Western Balkan (WB) leaders reiterated the shared commitment to step up the efforts to enhance integration of the Western Balkans with the EU single market, with the WB Common Regional Market (CRM) serving as a stepping stone for region’s EU integration, ...


12 Dec 2023
Opening speech by RCC Secretary General at the second edition of the Regional Butterfly Award ceremony speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened second edition of the Regional Butterfly Award ceremony together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria Mariya Gabriel, in Sofia on 12 December 2023. “Investment in research and Development (R&D) in our region remains quite low - less than 1% of the GDP while in EU the figure is 2.3%. To fulfil the promise of today’s ...


12 Dec 2023
RCC Reveals Winners of the 2023 Regional Butterfly Innovation Award news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu, and Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Mariya Gabriel present the awards to the winners   Sofia – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) revealed the winners of the 2023 Regional Butterfly Innovation Award, at a ceremony RCC organized with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, held in Sofia today. “Congratulations - we hope the Butterfly ...


24 Nov 2023
Bregu: Can you put a price tag on people leaving the region? In a way, yes, you can. news

RCC Secretary General on human capital and youth brain drain in the new edition of #TalkingPoint  Western Balkans is ranked among some of the economies most affected by brain drain, with expectations to lose around one million young people in the coming decade. People leaving the region does not only pose a risk to workforce availability but also threatens additional pressure to health ...


23 Nov 2023
RCC Secretary General promotes regional cooperation at the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid news

Madrid – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, took part at the event dedicated to the discussion on the Western Balkans accession to the European Union and the role of regional cooperation and RCC, organised within the Spanish Presidency of Council of the European Union by the Elcano Royal Institute in Madrid today.  “As the enlargement ...


21 Nov 2023
RCC Secretary General meets Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister in Chisinau news

Chisinau - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Majlinda Bregu was in a visit to Moldova today where she met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Nicu Popescu, to discuss the EU integration of the region and Moldova’s role in the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) and the RCC.  RCC Secretary General ...


14 Nov 2023
Bregu: Brain Drain is Becoming not just Human Capital but Security Issue Too news

RCC presents the third edition of public opinion survey on security issues SecuriMeter  Rome - "Migration is becoming one of the biggest problems of today, because countries are emptying. Not just those that result in the inflow of migrants to our region, but also because of the emigration from our region further to the west. Hence, the term of security challenges is dramatically ...


08 Nov 2023
RCC Board praises the work of the organisation and its Secretary General news

RCC Board adopts the Report of the RCC Secretary General Sarajevo – Opening the 50th meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board in Sarajevo today, the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, shared positive outcomes and feedback to the start of implementation of EU-WB Roaming Reductions and the results of continuing regional cooperation presented in the last couple of weeks ...


23 Oct 2023
RCC Secretary General's lecture at the College of Europe speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu was a guest lecture at the College of Europe on 23 October 2023 in Bruges, Belgium. At the lecture dubbed "The Western Balkans and the EU: First-hand insight after the Berlin Process Summit 2023" Bregu said among other things: "The Western Balkans region is like a canvas painted with all hues of history and diversity, a tapestry of languages, cultures, and ...


23 Oct 2023
Bregu: It is precisely in our diversity that the true potential for cooperation lies news

RCC Secretary General having a guest lecture at College of Europe in Bruges  Bruges - “The Western Balkans is like a canvas, painted with all hues of history and diversity, a tapestry of languages, cultures, and painful conflict. Yet it is precisely in this diversity that the true potential for cooperation lies. But, Western Balkans is Europe. Since the EU enlargement process is ...


19 Oct 2023
Secretary General Bregu for RTSH's show "3D" interview

Regional Cooperation Council's Secretary General Majlinda Bregu's interview for Radio Televizioni Shqiptar with Alban Dudushin, on Common Regional Market, roaming reductions between European Union and the Western Balkans, regional cooperation in the region, and more.


16 Oct 2023
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu speech at the Berlin Process Summit, on 16 October 2023 in Tirana speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the Berlin Process Summit, which for the first time took place in the region, in Tirana on 16 Octber 2023. "The concerted efforts we put towards mutual recognition of a new set of professions, which now amount to 7 in total, fully based on EU rules – is another symbolic entry ticket to the single market as it can be a crucial step towards recognition ...


16 Oct 2023
Bregu: Another agreement prepared by the RCC signed today in Tirana news

Four new professions will be recognized throughout the region Tirana – The Heads of Governments of the Western Balkans Six signed one more agreement under the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan’s mobility agenda, a process facilitated by the RCC - on the recognition of professional qualifications of nurses, veterinary surgeons, pharmacists, and midwives – at the Berlin ...


13 Oct 2023
Bregu: Role of Parliaments in the Berlin Process is to transform the pledges to reality news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Parliamentary Conference on the role of parliaments in the Berlin Process Tirana - "The ultimate legal responsibility in the ratification process of most of regional agreements and commitments lies with the parliaments. This once again makes evident the need for stronger engagement of Parliaments in this process, not only to formally add to its democratic ...


12 Oct 2023
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the first Local Self-Governments Forum speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened the first Local Self-Governments Forum Unlocking the Future: Innovate, Eco-vate, Elevate - Western Balkans Unite for Smart Cities in Tirana on 12 October 2023. "For the first time in history, the majority of world's people are living in cities. Growing cities face enormous challenges, worsen the most common headaches of city life, such as traffic jams, ...


12 Oct 2023
Bregu: Supporting cities in accelerating their transition to environmentally-friendly & digitally advanced urban environments is imperative news

RCC launches structured regional dialogue with local self-governments on Green Agenda for the Western Balkans  Tirana – The first Local Self-Governments Forum, organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) together with the Municipality of Tirana and the Network of Association of Local Authorities of South East Europe (NALAS), opened in Tirana today.  “Launching ...


06 Oct 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the Berlin Process Foreign Ministers Meeting speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the RCC Secretary General at the EU-WB Foreign Ministers Meeting organised within the Berlin Process by the Albanian Government in Tirana on 6 October 2023. Bregu took part at the first session together with Olivér Várhelyi, Commissioner for Neighborhood and Enlargement, European Commission, Pascual Navarro Ríos, State Secretary for the European ...


05 Oct 2023
RCC Secretary General for BHT interview

RCC SG Majlinda Bregu for BiH public broadcaster BHT on the benefits of EU-Western Balkans roaming charges reduction for region’s citizens, digitalisation in the region and more.


04 Oct 2023
Bregu: By working on digital transformation we are working on Europeanisation of our region news

DS participants commend the role of RCC in EU-WB roaming prices reduction  Sarajevo – The sixth Western Balkans Digital Summit (WBDS), hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina and supported by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), opened this morning in Sarajevo.  "The WB DS definitely steered a qualitatively new phase in regional cooperation on digitisation. It embodies upon ...


03 Oct 2023
Opening speech by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at Balkathon 4.0 grand finale speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened Balkathon 4.0 grand finale in Sarajevo on 3 October 2023. "Balkathon is more than a competition; it's a canvas for your ideas, a laboratory for your creativity, and a launchpad for your dreams. In the face of the challenges that surround us, it's your novelty that offers hope, your start-ups that breathe life into change, and your ideas that can redefine ...


02 Oct 2023
"Call from a Region in My Mind" : Bridging the Gap – The Roaming Revolution in the Western Balkans article

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu's Op-ed on beginning of reduction of mobile data costs between the European Union and Western Balkans. "The journey to this milestone began with the entry into force of Roam Like At Home regime in the Western Balkans in July 2021, based on the Western Balkans Regional Roaming Agreement. It is a testament to the unwavering commitment of the Regional Cooperation ...


26 Sep 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Berlin Process Forum of Economic Ministers speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the Berlin Process Forum of Economic Ministers: “Common Regional Market - A Stepping stone towards the EU Single Market on 26 September 2023 in Tirana. "A human-centric Europe, that is adapted, reformed, rebooted and more - with Western Balkans firmly in its fold - is the best investment in peace and security for the entire continent! The Western ...


26 Sep 2023
Bregu: A human-centric Europe, with Western Balkans firmly in its fold, is the best investment in peace and security for the entire continent news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Berlin Process Forum of Economy Ministers in Tirana today      Tirana – “A human-centric Europe, that is adapted, reformed, rebooted and more - with Western Balkans firmly in its fold - is the best investment in peace and security for the entire continent! The Western Balkans has made significant progress in the last two decades, ...


21 Sep 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs meeting, New York, 21 September 2023 speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs Meeting co-organised by the RCC in New York today. "The Western Balkans have made significant progress in the last two decades, but the Western Balkans are not where their inhabitants or outside peacemakers hoped we would be twenty-plus years after the guns went largely quiet. Unfortunately, friction among countries ...


21 Sep 2023
Bregu: When global institutions and frameworks are stretched thin, regional bodies can step in to provide stability, continuity, and direction news

New York - "The Western Balkans has made significant progress in the last two decades, but the Western Balkans is not where its inhabitants or outside peacemakers hoped we would be after twenty-plus years. Unfortunately, friction amongst economies persists, and conflicts can hinder investments and economic growth in the region. Having in mind this and the backdrop of these vast geopolitical ...


14 Sep 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at Tirana Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the Home Affairs Ministerial Meeting in Tirana. "Western Balkan citizens have identified these factors important for affecting the perception of security: - Crime, organized crime, drugs, human trafficking, violence and vandalism (60%) - Misuse of firearms and arms trafficking (48%) - Possibility of an armed conflict or political instability in ...


30 Aug 2023
RCC Secretary General Bregu for Inglosus Foundation interview

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu interview for Inglosus Foundation given on the sidelines of the Digisustain Conference in Frankfurt.


25 Jul 2023
Support for regional cooperation among Western Balkan business people has risen from 69% last year, to 74% news

Red alert: 70% of businesses do not see climate change as a significant concern for their business environment and 37% didn’t take any steps to reduce their environmental impact  Sarajevo – Last week, the Regional Cooperation Council published the results of the annual Balkan Barometer 2023 Public Opinion Survey. To complete the picture of our region’s opinions about regional ...


14 Jul 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at Tirana Policy Development Forum speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the Tirana Policy Development Forum in Tirana. "Good to see that cybersecurity and manipulation of information is getting more attention everywhere, our region included, as the Western Balkans is living in the times of friction making it a perfect playground for hybrid threats. They provoke hate, create economy slowback and harm trust in institutions. ...


12 Jul 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the European Economic and Social Committee 580th plenary session and “The future role of civil society in the enlargement process" debate speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the European Economic and Social Committee 580th plenary session and a debate dubbed “The future role of civil society in the enlargement process" held 12 July 2023 in Brussels.


12 Jul 2023
RCC, EESC set to deepen civil society and youth engagement in region’s reform processes news

Brussels: Bregu and Röpke sign memorandum of understanding between their respective organisations Brussels – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, and the President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Oliver Röpke, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the two organisations, in Brussels today. The ...


08 Jul 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the Dubrovnik Forum speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the Dubrovnik Forum held 8 July 2023 in Dubrovnik. "The language of power is the language of leadership. By necessity, and maybe not by choice, the EU is learning every day that speaking the language of power is power itself. European leadership, power, and unity have never been more important, more needed, and more obviously in the interests of ...


08 Jul 2023
Bregu: European leadership, power, and unity have never been more needed in the Western Balkans news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu takes part in the sixteenth Dubrovnik Forum  "The language of power is the language of leadership. By necessity, and maybe not by choice, the EU is learning every day that speaking the language of power is power itself. European leadership, power, and unity have never been more important, more needed, and more obviously in the interests of EU Member ...


05 Jul 2023
Bregu: 49% of Western Balkan citizens are concerned the climate change is affecting their health news

RCC SG takes part at the WHO 7th Ministerial Conference  Budapest - "According to our recent Balkan Barometer, 49% of the citizens of the WB are concerned that climate change is affecting their health. Moreover, Pollution of Air (57%), Water (44%), and Soil (39%) are listed as the greatest environmental concerns in communities. All Western Balkan countries except Albania rely on coal ...


04 Jul 2023
Secretary General for Radio Televizioni Shqiptar interview

Regional Cooperation Council's Secretary General Majlinda Bregu's interview for Radio Televizioni Shqiptar with Elona Meco, on Common Regional Market, roaming reductions between European Union and the Western Balkans, regional cooperation in the region, EU integration of the Western Balkans and more.


30 Jun 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the EU-Western Balkans Regulatory Dialogue meeting speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the EU-Western Balkans Regulatory Dialogue meeting, in Brussels on 30 June 2023. “Today’s accession to the Digital Europe Programme for four conomies from our region is a major development enabling them to benefit from a program of almost 7,5 billion EUR. What once seemed almost utopic is now a reality since 2021 - with the regional roaming ...


30 Jun 2023
Bregu: Crucial step to reinforcing critical digital capacities in our region is phasing in EU policies and programmes news

3 days of Western Balkans Digital Agenda in Brussels: RCC at the EU-Western Balkans Regulatory Dialogue meeting Brussels – “Today’s accession to the Digital Europe Programme for four conomies from our region is a major development enabling them to benefit from a program of almost 7,5 billion EUR. What once seemed almost utopic is now a reality since 2021 - with the regional roaming ...


27 Jun 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the SEECP Summit speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the SEECP Summit in Podgorica. "As we meet today for the annual SEECP Summit on the eve of the 20th anniversary of Thessaloniki Agenda and RCC’s 15th anniversary - we witness and acknowledge some undisputable truths. Regional cooperation nurtures, consolidates, transforms. It keeps delivering concretely on the ground despite ups and downs. Yet, ...


27 Jun 2023
Bregu: More cooperation crucial in addressing regional tensions news

SEECP Heads of State and Government commend the work of RCC and recognised its unique role and accomplishments in advancing regional cooperation Podgorica – Heads of State and Government of South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) commended the work of Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and recognised its unique role and accomplishments in promoting cooperation, overall development ...


16 Jun 2023
RCC wins annual Prespa Forum Dialogue 2023 award news

RCC Secretary General takes part in annual Prespa Forum Dialogue  Struga – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, took part at the annual Prespa Forum Dialogue (PFD) 2023, taking place 15-16 June 2023 in Struga, North Macedonia, where she received the PFD Award on behalf of RCC, spoke at the panel on regional cooperation, and held a series of ...


14 Jun 2023
Secretary General for the Frankfurter Rundschau interview

German daily Frankfurter Rundschau published an article featuring RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on regional cooperation, investments in Western Balkans, EU integration and Common Regional Market.


12 Jun 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at Digisustain Conference in Frankfurt speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the Digisustain Conference in Frankfurt. "We already have tangible results for out citizens from Green Lanes, mutual recognition of diplomas, Travel with ID cards and more. Roadmaps for green transition and digital transformation are in place, but it is up to Western Balkans to follow up and continue our efforts together" said RCC SG Majlinda Bregu ...


12 Jun 2023
Bregu: Region’s special potential lies in the diversity of possible entrepreneurial engagement that has not been fully utilized just yet news

RCC Secretary General in Frankfurt at Digisustain Conference on green transition of Western Balkans Frankfurt – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Majlinda Bregu was in Frankfurt, Germany, today, taking part at the Digisustain Conference at a panel dedicated to regional competencies and green investment opportunities in the Western Balkans. Digisustain gathers innovators, ...


07 Jun 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the Leaders Dialogue Implementing Green Agenda for Economic and Societal Prosperity in the Western Balkans speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the Leaders Dialogue “Implementing Green Agenda for Economic and Societal Prosperity in the Western Balkan”, held 7 June 2023 in Tirana. “Ramping-up regional cooperation and integration in EU’s energy and environmental initiatives is the solution. Our region must remain steadfast on the sustainable, green transition and decarbonization path, ...


05 Jun 2023
Bregu: Our region deserves a re-energised enlargement process and membership advantages in advance of full accession news

Participants of RCC Annual Meeting endorse organisation’s Annual Report  Budva – Ministers of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) commended the efforts of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in fostering regional cooperation and integration of the Western Balkan economies into the European Union (EU), focusing on the set of specific  ...


04 Jun 2023
Bregu: This year marks one of the most impactful ones for the Western Balkans when it comes to regional cooperation news

Participants of RCC Annual Meeting endorse organisation’s Annual Report  Budva - "This year marks one of the most impactful ones for the Western Balkans, marking the long-awaited turning point towards commitments taken by the economies of the region, through the Common Regional Market (CRM). With integrity, collegiality and competence - three words of tradition and challenge, ...


29 May 2023
Bregu: Half of all mental disorders begin before the age of 14. What is ‘an ounce of prevention’ when it comes to mental health, and do we take enough care of that? news

RCC Secretary General on Mental Health in a new Edition of #TalkingPoint  Our region was recently shocked with an event that happened in Serbia when a young teenage boy killed ten people at school, including nine classmates. A horrible tragedy that rendered all of us silenced for days. In a matter of 24 hours after the school tragedy, another mass murdered happened in our region, when a ...


24 May 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the Adriatic and Ionian Council of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) and the Ministerial Meeting of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the at the Adriatic and Ionian Council of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (AII) and the Ministerial Meeting of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region.


16 May 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at the high-level meeting on countering firearms trafficking in South East Europe in Brussels speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the high-level meeting on countering firearms trafficking in South East Europe in Brussels held 12 July 2023 in Brussels. "There are lessons we learn from roadmaps and lessons we learn in sorrow. Just in the first quarter of 2023, 821 firearm incidents were reported in South East Europe, resulting in 334 victims, while this month started with a devastating ...


09 May 2023
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu: Closing in to Europe: lowering roaming prices between Western Balkans and EU interview

On Europe Day, Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, in an interview for "Zëri" , gives the first details of one of the concrete achievements for the citizens of the Western Balkans.


29 Apr 2023
BREGU: There is a price to pay for speaking the truth - how much are we willing to spend in “killing the fake news”? news

RCC Secretary General in #TalkingPoint on disinformation  Disinformation is false information deliberately and often covertly spread, such as through the planting of rumors, in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth. Fake news spreads six times faster than true news.  In this edition of #TalkingPoint,  Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council ...


04 Apr 2023
Bregu: Economic importance of tourism is what can make or break any region news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Forum of Environmental Sustainable Tourism in Albania (FESTA) Tirana – “Western Balkans pre-pandemic tourism showed positive trends. More than 12 million people visited the region, which brought a profit of 7.2 billion EUR. Tourism made 10.2% of the region’s GDP and accounted for more than 25% of exports. While one can go figure digging ...


03 Apr 2023
Bregu: Common Regional Market will bring the Western Balkans closer to the EU Single Market news

RCC Secretary General spoke before Albanian Parliament of the RCC’s co-oganisation of the upcoming Berlin Process Summit in Tirana this fall  Tirana – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu spoke before the Albanian Parliament’s National Council of European Integration (NCEI) in Tirana today about co-organisation of the upcoming Berlin ...


30 Mar 2023
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at NGO forum on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the NGO forum on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans in Belgrade "We already have tangible results for out citizens from Green Lanes, mutual recognition of diplomas, Travel with ID cards and more. Roadmaps for green transition and digital transformation are in place, but it is up to Western Balkans to follow up and continue our efforts together" ...


28 Mar 2023
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for North Macedonian kdp.mk interview

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke to North Macedonian web-portal kdp.mk about mobility agreements signed four months ago as part of Berlin Process Summit by WB leaders, on roaming, Common Regional Market, regional integration, and more. In the interview dubbed "WE NEED AN INVESTMENT CLIMATE FOR THE WESTERN BALKANS ", among other things, Bregu said: "Every single effort and achievement ...


28 Mar 2023
Bregu: New momentum in digitalisation in Western Balkans calls for improvement of e-service accessibility and reduction of digital divide news

RCC, EBRD and EIB organising Financing Digitalisation in the Western Balkans Conference in Sarajevo Sarajevo – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and European Investment Bank (EIB) gathered region’s ministers and other high ranking government officials, local and international experts in digital projects, key donors and ...


15 Mar 2023
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT for the period 1 November 2022 – 1 March 2023 report

Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 November 2022 – 1 March 2023 was presented by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the 48th RCC Board meeting on 15 March 2023 in Sarajevo.


15 Mar 2023
Bregu: Continued all-inclusive regional cooperation remains the key in strengthening economic resilience of the Western Balkans news

Regional Cooperation Council Hosts 48th meeting of RCC Board  Sarajevo – “External risks arising from the current geopolitical crisis and the rise in commodity prices reinforce the purpose of the Common Regional Market agenda. Continued all-inclusive regional cooperation remains the key towards strengthening economic resilience of the Western Balkans,” said Secretary ...


02 Mar 2023
Full speech by the RCC Secretary General at the WHO Forum speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the World Health Organization WHO/Europe High-Level Forum on Health in the Well-Being Economy, held 1-2 March 2023 in Copenhagen. Bregu spoke at the panel "A Well-being Economy Approach to Addressing Cost-of-Living Increases". “Economic growth cannot be the only and ultimate policy objective. Collective wellbeing, healthy and thriving population ...


02 Mar 2023
Bregu: Wellbeing, health and thriving population should be foundation of every growth policy news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the World Health Organisation (WHO)’s Health in the Well-Being Economy Regional Forum  Copenhagen – “Economic growth cannot be the only and ultimate policy objective. Collective wellbeing, healthy and thriving population where no one is left behind should be the foundation of every growth policy. The ambitious post-pandemic recovery ...


17 Feb 2023
Bregu: Western Balkans is an important piece of the European security and stability puzzle news

Nearly one year after the start of invasion on Ukraine world leaders meet at the Munich Security Conference to discuss topics of global security and defence The annual 59th Munich Security Conference (MSC) started in Munich today gathering world leaders to discuss topics of global security, defence, technology, and sustainability while keeping the focus on the still ongoing Russian invasion of ...


19 Jan 2023
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for FENA interview

Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General spoke to BiH portal Federalna Novinska Agencija - FENA about the upcoming EU-WB roaming prices reduction and the successes of the Roam Like at Home (RLAH) regime in the Western Balkans.


19 Jan 2023
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for Politicki.ba interview

Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General spoke to BiH portal Politicki.ba about the upcoming EU-WB roaming prices reduction and the successes of the Roam Like at Home (RLAH) regime in the Western Balkans.


04 Jan 2023
RCC Secretary General for TRT World interview

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu spoke to TRT World. Bregu spoke about the position of the Western Balkans in regards of the war in Ukraine, Russian influence in the Balkans, EU enlargement of the region's economies, the importance of the regional cooperation and much more.


06 Dec 2022
Press Statement by RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the signing of Roaming Declaration statement

Press Statement by RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the signing of Roaming Declaration between European Union and Western Balkans telecommunications operators on 6 December 2022 in Tirana.


06 Dec 2022
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the EU - Western Balkans Summit in Tirana speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the EU - Western Balkans Summit organised in Tirana on 6 December 2022. “The first question we were asked after the Roam Like at Home has come to action last July, was when the roaming prices with the EU will be lowered. And that is the first thing we have started working on after that 1 July. So, I’m happy to say that ‘when’ has arrived, the ...


18 Nov 2022
Opening remarks by RCC Secretary General at the 7th Annual Jumbo Security Conference speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened the 7th Annual Jumbo Security Conference on 17 November 2022. “The EU and the Western Balkans share many evolving, borderless security threats, from radicalisation, violent extremism, and return of Foreign Terrorist Fighters to irregular migration, organised crime, corruption, disinformation and cyber-attacks. Such joint priorities have been re-validated ...


18 Nov 2022
Bregu: 82.9% of Western Balkan citizens agree that regional cooperation can help in improving economic resilience news

RCC hosts 7th Annual Jumbo Security Conference in Rome Rome/Sarajevo – “The EU and the Western Balkans share many evolving, borderless security threats, from radicalisation, violent extremism, and return of Foreign Terrorist Fighters to irregular migration, organised crime, corruption, disinformation and cyber-attacks. Such joint priorities have been re-validated by the war in Ukraine ...


09 Nov 2022
RCC Board participants praise the organisation, congratulate its Secretary General on the excellent, for our region extremely important job done news

RCC Board adopts the Report of the RCC Secretary General Sarajevo – Opening the 47th meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board in Sarajevo today, the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, shared very positive outcomes of regional cooperation presented in the last couple of weeks during the Berlin Process Summit and related meetings.  “Re-launch of Berlin Process ...


03 Nov 2022
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the Western Balkans Berlin Summit speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the Western Balkans Berlin Summit, organised within the Berlin Process in German capital on 3 November 2022. “Though written off as nearly impossible, after trying and nerve-racking two years, the three RCC-coordinated centrepiece mobility agreements finally see the light of day. Today they reach those intended for - our citizens! Much like the ubiquitous ...


03 Nov 2022
Bregu: It’s done - the three RCC-coordinated centrepiece mobility agreements finally see the light of day to reach those intended for - our citizens news

Berlin – The Heads of Governments of the Western Balkans Six signed the three mobility agreements under the Common Regional Market (CRM) Action Plan’s mobility agendas - on Freedom of Movement with Identity Cards, on Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, and on Recognition of Professional Qualifications for Doctors of Medicine, Dentists and Architects – at the Berlin Process ...


31 Oct 2022
Anadolu Agency interview with RCC Secretary General dubbed "Bregu: Travel with ID cards in Western Balkans possible from 2023" interview

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu interview to Anadolu Agency dubbed "Bregu: Travel with ID cards in Western Balkans possible from 2023" on three Western Balkans mobility agreements, when they will enter into force, what are the expected results, and the next steps for the Western Balkans.


28 Oct 2022
Radio Free Europe article dubbed "I Dream of Bihać and Bosnia’: Bosniaks from Prizren waiting to travel to BiH without visas" featuring statement by RCC Secretary General article

‘I Dream of Bihać and Bosnia’: Bosniaks from Prizren waiting to travel to Bosnia and Herzegovina without visas - Radio Slobodna Evropa article on three mobility agreements featuring statements of Western Balkans citizens and RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu.


27 Oct 2022
Bregu: Roaming free regime between the EU and Western Balkans is our next objective interview

Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General spoke to BiH portal Politicki.ba about three mobility agreements approved by the Western Balkans Foreign Ministers on 21 October 2022 and expected to be signed by Western Balkans leaders on 3 November in Berlin at the Berlin Process Summit: - Agreement on Freedom of Movement with Identity Cards in the Western Balkans, - Agreement on Recognition of Higher Education ...


24 Oct 2022
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the Roundtable with the Energy Ministers of the Western Balkans speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu addressed the Roundtable with the Energy Ministers of the Western Balkans, organized within the Berlin Process Summit 2022 on 24 October in Berlin. Keeping the torch alight on the implementation of GAWB that was developed in times of stability is a hellishly difficult task in these times of adversity. It is clearly overshadowed by the impact of the war and the ...


24 Oct 2022
Bregu: Keeping the Green Agenda implementation torch lit is difficult, but there are no U-turns in a climate change-vulnerable region like ours news

Berlin/Sarajevo – “Keeping the torch lit on the implementation of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans that was developed in times of stability was a hellishly difficult task in these times of adversity. It is clearly overshadowed by the impact of the war and the pan-European energy price surge. There will be no quick fixes and silver bullets for this colossal challenge ahead of us. ...


21 Oct 2022
Speech by RCC Secretary General at the WB-EU ministerial meeting, organised within the Berlin Process speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the WB-EU ministerial meeting, organised within the Berlin Process in German capital on 21 October 2022. “We proudly today showcase that all-inclusive regional cooperation and Common Regional Market deliver results. That the region has agreed on three RCC-coordinated centrepiece mobility agreements whose implementation, much like with the green lanes ...


21 Oct 2022
All-inclusive regional cooperation and Common Regional Market deliver results news

Western Balkans Foreign Ministers approve 3 regional agreements bringing our region closer together and to the EU  Berlin/Sarajevo – The Western Balkans (WB) Foreign Ministers approved three regional agreements - on Freedom of Movement with Identity Cards, on Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications, and on Recognition of Professional Qualifications for Doctors of Medicine, Dentists ...


21 Sep 2022
Speech by the RCC Secretary General at Western Balkans Digital Summit 2022 speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke at the opening of the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2022 which took place in Pristina on 21-22 September 2022. "Digitalisation in our region has its two sides of the coin. On one hand there have been great broadband connectivity strides, such as Roam Like at Home in the Western Balkans, and massive spread and uptake of e-services. On the other hand, our ...


21 Sep 2022
Bregu: Digitalisation necessitates an intergenerational approach – keeping our youth’s priorities and well-being at heart news

RCC, supporting WBDS for the 5th time in a row, to host a panel on digital social inclusion and education Pristina – “Today is a great day for Pristina.  It is the centre of gravity of one of the greatest Berlin Process initiatives – the Western Balkans Digital Summit. Pristina today bursts and radiates with the dynamism of so many start-ups, companies, experts and policy ...


12 Sep 2022
Speech by the RCC Secretary General for the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part at the 72nd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe held on 12 September 2022. "We are living in challenging times. In 2020, we saw ourselves fighting a pandemic while environmental challenges were at its peak, and on top of them, now we are experiencing a war that is impacting severely energy and food security. The risk of stepping back on ...


06 Sep 2022
Opening speech by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at Balkathon 3.0 speech

Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General opened Balkathon 3.0 finale in Pristina on 6 September 2022. Among other things, Bregu said: "Being true to our focus on the region’s human capital development – we embarked on RCC’s Balkathon trademark journey three years ago. What was initially a Covid lockdown-born idea – transformed into a sizable regional flagship initiative that is eagerly ...


25 Jul 2022
RCC Secretary General for Bota.al interview

Albanian web portal Bota.al published an interview with RCC Secretary General Malinda Bregu. Bregu spoke about the current Western Balkan economies' European Union integration process with special reflection on the Albania, about regional cooperation, and more. Full article in Albanian is at a link bellow. In addition, find excerpts of the article featuring statements by the RCC SG in English ...


19 Jul 2022
Statement by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on Opening of accession negotiations with EU for Albania and North Macedonia, 19 July 2022 statement

Better late than never! Statement of Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on the occasion of Albania and North Macedonia opening accession negotiations with the EU.


28 Jun 2022
Bregu: Having an environment that supports innovation and creativity helps our democracies to be stronger news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Ministerial Meeting of the Western Balkans Platform on Research and Innovation Tirana – “There is a political decision on when our economies will become full EU member states, but there is also a responsibility all of us carry on how to make our economies closer to the European standards present here in this region. So, for all of us who share ...


28 Jun 2022
Bregu: We hope Butterfly Innovation Award will shine a light on the regional innovation community and its undiscovered potential news

RCC supports research & innovation in the Western Balkans: Six winning innovation ideas from the region awarded at a ceremony in Tirana last night  Tirana – “This spring we launched the first Regional Butterfly Innovation Award. ‘What is now proved was once only imagination’- this Blake’s quote fits perfectly the 154 ideas in six competing categories - largely ...


27 Jun 2022
Speech by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Regional Butterfly Innovation Award ceremony speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened Regional Butterfly Innovation Award ceremony in Tirana on 27 June 2022, where six winning innovation ideas from the region were awarded. "This spring we launched the first Regional Butterfly Innovation Award. ‘What is now proved was once only imagination’- this Blake’s quote fits perfectly the 154 ideas in six competing categories - largely exceeded ...


24 Jun 2022
Opening remarks by the RCC secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the presentation of Balkan Barometer and SecuriMeter surveys speech

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) opened the presentation of Balkan Barometer and SecuriMeter surveys, in Brussels on 24 June 2022


24 Jun 2022
Bregu: Support of Western Balkan citizens to regional cooperation remains stable at 76% news

RCC presents 2022 editions of Balkan Barometer and SecuriMeter  Brussels – “While many things change, our public and business perceptions surveys remain a truthful source of sentiments across the region. At times, the results surprise us, sometimes they serve as a wake-up call, while on other occasions they confirm that our efforts are not in vain as citizens and businesses ...


17 Jun 2022
Bregu: Establishing one single market should stay the ultimate goal of Western Balkans news

RCC Secretary General takes Part at Prespa Forum Dialogue  Ohrid – “Rome is not built in one day, and building a single market is easier said than done. The process of Western Balkans economic integration and its EU integration is not an easy one, but I hope it will not take us 35 years to get there, as it took the European Union to build one single market. None of us in this ...


11 Jun 2022
Dr. Erhard Busek Champion of Regional Cooperation news

Sarajevo/Thessaloniki – “In one of his last conveys he said: “Equating the EU with the Europe means leaving out a quarter of the continent – and a rather important part, as Eastern and Southeastern Europe border on world powers and vital regions.” Busek was gentle, humanitarian, liberal, a man who believed in a meeting of the minds as a key to the European endeavour. ...


10 Jun 2022
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2021-2022 report

The Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period April 2021 – April 2022. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


10 Jun 2022
Bregu: We defined and put forward the leading regional cooperation & integration frameworks, now one market is the ultimate goal of Western Balkans news

SEECP leaders endorse RCC Annual Report, praise work of the organisation on regional cooperation Thessaloniki - The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu took part at the South East Europe Cooperation Process events - the meeting of SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the Summit of SEECP leaders - in Thessaloniki today. The meetings’ participants ...


09 Jun 2022
Bregu: As long as we continue to subscribe to dialogue, compromise and cooperation, we invest in long-term stability, security and prosperity news

Participants of RCC Annual Meeting endorse organisation’s Annual Report and Strategy and Work Programme 2023-2025 Thessaloniki – “Under the political guidance of SEECP and in consultations with all relevant actors and stakeholders, RCC identified those gaps in which the region should invest with technical as well as political capital. These all fall under the category of sustainable ...


08 Jun 2022
Champion of Regional Cooperation to round off 14th RCC Annual Meeting news

Sarajevo/Thessaloniki – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is to hold its 14th Annual Meeting on Thursday, 9 June in Thessaloniki. RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu will present the RCC Annual Report and major accomplishments and results of the organisation in the past year while putting it in the context of current political and economic situation in the region.  Despite challenging ...


31 May 2022
Bregu: Regional cooperation is complex and hard hitting, but it’s the way forward news

EPP set to approve Position Paper on Western Balkans welcoming and praising regional achievements facilitated and led by the RCC Rotterdam – “Our realities today are drastically different, with the war in Ukraine sending shockwaves and exacerbating two trends that were already in the making: slowed growth and inflation. For an illustration, food and beverage prices increased between ...


18 May 2022
Bregu: With slowed growth & inflation Western Balkans will have to amp-up regional cooperation news

RCC Board endorses organisation’s Strategy and Work Programme 2023-2025 and the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General Sarajevo - It is very difficult to sugar-coat the severity of economic effects of the war on the Western Balkans. It is equally difficult to accurately predict the true and longer-term impact, or to identify the opportunities for the region along the way. Our ...


12 May 2022
Bregu: Removing barriers is the first step in positioning Western Balkans at the world tourism map  news

On 8 June WB and EU to start the process of aligning policies and regulatory practices towards reducing roaming prices among themselves  Tirana – “Tourism has a vast potential as a major catalyst for job creation and a driving force for economic growth and development especially for tourism dependent regions like ours. In 2019 more than 12 million people visited Western Balkans, ...


09 May 2022
Statement by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of Europe Day statement

On this day seventy two years ago, the French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman suggested that European countries join together as an economic union. Such a union was the only way to guarantee peace in Europe for a long time. In his famous Declaration, Schuman said “concrete achievements” were essential to “the preservation of peace”. For a dire circumstance, on this 9th of May, Europe is sucked ...


20 Apr 2022
Bregu: Enhanced regional cooperation and clear enlargement prospect for the region are vital to overcome challenges news

Balkan Barometer 2022: 76% of WB citizens agree that regional cooperation can contribute to improving political, economic or security situation in their economy Brussels/Sarajevo – “The war in Ukraine will affect economic growth in the region. Although share of economic output directly tied to Russia and Ukraine is relatively small for the Western Balkans as a whole, the economic ...


11 Apr 2022
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT for the period 1 October 2021 – 1 March 2022 report

Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 October 2021 – 1 March 2022 by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, presented at the 45th Meeting of the RCC Board on 16 March 2022.


06 Apr 2022
RCC Secretary General for Indeks interview

North Macedonian web portal Indeks published an interview with RCC Secretary General Malinda Bregu. Bregu spoke about the impact of the current situation in Europe on Western Balkan economies, regional cooperation, EU integration and more. Entire interview in Albanian language is available on the link below.


30 Mar 2022
RCC Secretary General for EurActiv: Brave New Europe?! interview

Brave New Europe?! - Op-ed by RCC SG Majlinda Bregu published by EurActiv, on EU enlargement process in the light of the latest circumstances in Ukraine. "For a long time now, there has been a dichotomy between methodology and the political aspects of the EU integration, which is put to the test now with the calls for fast-track EU membership of Ukraine and the tortoise pace of accession of the ...


11 Mar 2022
WomEn who Launch: Regional Network of Women in Entrepreneurs - RCC SG Opening remarks speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu opened the regional event WomEn who Launch: Regional Network of Women in Entrepreneurs, In Tirana on 11 March 2022. The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) just launching today the first Regional Women in Entrepreneurship Network in the Western Balkans. We will not boil the sea right away. But sometimes the smallest act can lead to the biggest impact. We’ll ...


11 Mar 2022
Bregu: When women engage, take responsibilities, grow and help each other they can be a rising tide that lifts all boats news

Western Balkans Women Entrepreneurs of the Year 2021 are: Blerina Ago, Aida Zubcevic, Valentina Taseva, Dragana Calija, Pakize Pajazitaj, and Arta Shehu Zaimi Tirana – “The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is launching today the first Regional Women in Entrepreneurship Network in the Western Balkans. We will not boil the sea right away. But sometimes the smallest act can lead to ...


02 Mar 2022
Euronews article featuring statement by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu article

Euronews published an article dubbed "Could Ukraine kick-start the EU's stalled enlargement plan?" featuring statements by the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on the Western Balkans enlargement process in the light of the latest circumstances in Ukraine and Europe. Full article in English is at a link bellow. In addition, find excerpts of the article featuring statements by the RCC SG in ...


20 Feb 2022
Bregu: Western Balkans’ growth potential can be unlocked only through regional economic integration news

RCC Secretary General hosts a high-level event in Munich, co-organised with the Munich Security Conference  Munich – “European integration and transatlantic cooperation should not look decoupled in the Western Balkans (WB). It’s high time to put the process of EU accession of the WB into the spotlight before too late becomes a lifetime. This is the centre of gravity for ...


05 Feb 2022
Western Balkans Youth and the Future of Europe; Op-Ed by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu article

Op-Ed by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu on the Western Balkans youth and their potential to be a part and create a future of the European Western Balkans. "Reality in which youth live today is specific, marked by the rapidly transforming era of the fourth industrial revolution, a changing and precarious labor market, and a pandemic unprecedented in modern ...


10 Dec 2021
Closing remarks of the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Kick Off event of Youth Policy Lab on Mental Health speech

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu gave spoke to almost 50 youth representatives from the region, as well as policy makers and representatives of the European Commission at the closing of the Kick Off event of Youth Policy Lab on Mental Health, which took place in Tirana on 9-10 December 2021.


06 Dec 2021
Introductory remarks by the RCC Secretary General at the Sixth Jumbo Security Coordination Conference speech

Speech by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) at the Sixth Jumbo Security Coordination Conference, organized by the RCC together with the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs and the French Institute for Higher National Defence Studies (IHEDN), held in Paris on 6 December 2021.


06 Dec 2021
Bregu: EU and Balkans security challenges are becoming ever more interrelated amidst new global threats news

RCC co-organises its annual Jumbo Security conference in Paris, with French Foreign and European Affairs Ministry  Paris/Sarajevo – “The European Union and the Western Balkans security challenges are becoming ever more interrelated and connected to a set of a new global threats. We have to face that we are at an inflection point. We might soon be facing a crisis—a humanitarian ...


02 Dec 2021
European Union is Our Future, No Alternative, Interview by RCC Secretary General for Novi Magazin interview

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu spoke to Serbian Novi Magazin about Western Balkans EU integration, Common Regional Market and Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, region's response to Covid-19 pandemic and much more. "Weak Western Balkans makes the EU weak too. But a lot is being said each day by both the EU and Western Balkans leaders. The truth is that the ...


25 Nov 2021
Bregu: Being Europeans is not written in DNA but what you believe and fight for news

Italy in partnership with the RCC hosted youth from all the Europe at EU-Balkan Youth Forum in Rome Rome/Sarajevo - “It’s not breaking news any longer that our youth is leaving the region. One out of 3 youngsters, age 18-24, in the Western Balkans confirms that they are ready to leave their homeland. We should understand the message – their choice of destination shows what’s ...


18 Nov 2021
Video podcast: RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on regional cooperation speech

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on priorities RCC is we are working on: EU-WB roaming, mental health and WB Green Agenda


15 Nov 2021
Bregu: The antidote to slowing down EU enlargement process is more ambitious integration of Western Balkans in the EU single market policies news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the informal meeting of SEECP foreign ministers in Brussels  Brussels/Sarajevo: “European perspective of the Western Balkans is the drive that makes the process of cooperation beneficial to all in the long-term. I believe EU has all the leverage needed to keep the EU perspective in WB alive. Without a credible path to EU membership, the WB could ...


26 Oct 2021
Bregu: RCC takes pride in achieving more tangible results for Western Balkan citizens news

Belgrade – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has been awarded by the European Western Balkans for its unwavering commitment to the European future of the region, continued strengthening of regional cooperation and connecting the region by facilitating the Roam-Free-Western-Balkans, as well as principled promotion and work on furthering economic cooperation in the Western Balkans. RCC Secretary ...


15 Oct 2021
Bregu: European perspective of Western Balkans is the drive that makes the process of cooperation beneficial news

RCC Board meets for the 44th time  Sarajevo – “European perspective of Western Balkans is the drive that makes the process of cooperation beneficial to all in long-term. It is of highest importance that both the region and the EU deliver on the respective commitments – particularly when we take into account that optimism regarding the time of accession has been declining. ...


13 Oct 2021
Talking Points by the RCC Secretary General at the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2021 speech

Remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the high-level meeting during the fourth Western Balkans Digital Summit, held in Podgorica 11-13 October 2021. High -level meeting was opened by Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic with the following high-level speakers: Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General, Regional Cooperation Council, Olivér ...


13 Oct 2021
Bregu proposes creation of ‘Digital Identity’ system for Western Balkan citizens, modelled on the EU one news

RCC Secretary General at the closing of the IV Western Balkans Digital Summit  Podgorica – “We are racing to reach high standards of EU MS. Despite trying to run with the same speed as EU MS, we started our race later and hence we can never reach EU unless “phasing in” in EU policies is duly implemented,” said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional ...


06 Oct 2021
Talking Points by the RCC Secretary General at EU-Western Balkans Brdo Summit speech

Talking Points by the RCC Secretary General at EU-Western Balkans Brdo Summit held at Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, on 6 October 2021.


06 Oct 2021
Bregu: It is crunch time to deliver on reducing roaming costs between the EU and Western Balkans news

Participants of EU-WB Summit validate Declaration welcoming a roadmap for roaming between EU and WB Brdo pri Kranju/Sarajevo – “As the agendas of regional cooperation build in intensity and challenges get bigger, we witness daily that the process of cooperation among Western Balkan Six cannot afford a stalemate,” said Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Majlinda ...


18 Sep 2021
Bregu, Escobar discuss regional economic integration news

RCC Secretary General in an official visit to Washington DC Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu met with US State Department officials, including newly appointed US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Gabriel Escobar in Washington yesterday to discuss regional cooperation, single market in the region, security cooperation and Western Balkans green agenda.  Ms ...


07 Sep 2021
Bregu: It is time for youth to be louder and play smarter news

Western Balkans Youth Lab Project: RCC Secretary General meets youth from North Macedonia Youth Council  Skopje – “I would highly encourage you to leave the region. Yes, go abroad and see other cultures, but come back. Only by learning from others we can make our region better place for all of us and make a change. That is why we do not want to invent algorithm, but to make youth ...


03 Sep 2021
RCC Secretary General and Senior Connectivity Expert Pranvera Kastrati @Twitter on Roaming Free Western Balkans interview

RCC's Secretary General Majlinda and Senior Connectivity Expert Pranvera Kastrati talked today on Twitter about the Roaming Free Western Balkans, the process behind it, benefits for region's citizens and ongoing negotiations about lowering roaming charges with the European Union. "Compelled to make things better, whomever, wherever, however the solution for the Balkans is for countries to work ...


26 Jul 2021
RCC Secretary General for Montenegrian Vijesti: “Knowing the right people” does not lead to the EU interview

RCC Secretary General gave an interview for Montenegrian Vijesti "We know, Regional cooperation will prevail on the strength of its ideas and ideals, not on the disputes and the name of documents. We know economies of the region will be competitive when it should be, collaborative when it must be. We just hope those will be adversarial only when this is inevitable. The prospect of eventual EU ...


10 Jul 2021
Bregu: Kinship, solidarity and political pragmatism give sense to regional cooperation, benefits of which have been proven time and time again news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Dubrovnik Forum Dubrovnik/Sarajevo – “It is not bureaucracy and business as usual agenda that gives a sense to regional cooperation. It’s kinship, solidarity and political pragmatism. That’s what we are trying to do. To give a face to valued cooperation in a process where people are participating. Benefits of cooperation have been ...


05 Jul 2021
Talking Points by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu at Western Balkans Berlin Process Summit speech

Talking Points by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the Western Balkans Berlin Process Summit. Berlin Summit gathered EU representatives and Western Balkans leaders to talk on Regional Cooperation and Common Regional Market.


05 Jul 2021
Bregu: Let the Roaming Free be the turning point for the regional cooperation - “Borderless Connectivity” benefits everyone news

RCC Secretary General Bregu takes part in the Berlin Process Summit hosted by German Chancellor Merkel Tirana/Berlin/Sarajevo – “We know regional cooperation will prevail on the strength of its ideas and ideals, not on the disputes and the name of documents. We know economies of the region will be competitive when they should be, and collaborative when they must be. We just hope those ...


02 Jul 2021
Talking Points by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu at 2021 Prespa Forum Dialogue speech

Talking Points by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the High-Level Plenary Session “Resetting the EU-US Synergy towards the Western Balkans” within the 2021 Prespa Forum Dialogue, in Ohrid, North Macedonia, on 2 July 2021. Secretary General Bregu was accompanied by Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic, Turkish Minister of Foreign affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, ...


02 Jul 2021
Bregu: 71% of young people from Western Balkans would go live and work abroad – this is an alarm bell for us all news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the high-level plenary session of the Prespa Forum Dialogue Ohrid – “The prospect of potential EU membership has been a driving force during all these years, for all Western Balkan economies. According to the Balkan Barometer data, the support of Western Balkans citizens of the EU membership is steadily increasing. Compared to 2016, when it was ...


30 Jun 2021
Western Balkans Calling: We are Roaming Free; Op-ed by the Secretary General Majlinda Bregu article

Op-ed by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occassion of Roaming Free Western Balkans setting intro force on 1 July 2021. "Delivering on promises: It took just over 2 years to move from signing the Regional Roaming Agreement to roam free across the region. And today is the difference that makes the difference."


28 Jun 2021
Bregu: Discrimination against Roma remains very high, and we have to take actions to reduce and prevent it news

Sarajevo hosts Second Ministerial Meeting on Roma Integration: Roma should be included in the Green and Digital Agendas  Sarajevo – “According to the Balkan Barometer 2021, around 40% of the businesses in the Western Balkans are still reluctant to hire Roma even when they meet the criteria. 63% of Western Balkan citizens do not want their children to share the classroom with Roma ...


25 Jun 2021
Bregu: People want and need to be connected in many ways and Roaming Free region is one of the ways enabling it news

RCC organised Western Balkans ICT Ministerial meeting to mark beginning of Roaming-Free Western Balkans Podgorica – “People want and need to be connected in many ways and Roaming Free region is one of the ways enabling it. Looking back three years ago, when the Western Balkan Leaders decided to lower the roaming prices within the region, no one had thought that we would have region ...


24 Jun 2021
Balkan Barometer 2021 - INFOGRAPHICS information material

BALKAN BAROMETER is an annual survey of public opinion and business sentiments in six Western Balkans economies, commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), which examines aspirations and expectations on life and work, prevalent socio-economic and political trends & regional and European integration. BALKAN BAROMETER’S 2021 infographics booklet features some of the defining thoughts ...


24 Jun 2021
Balkan Barometer 2021 - Public Opinion survey

Balkan Barometer 2021 - this is the 7th edition of annual public and business opinion survey commissioned by the RCC which examines Western Balkan citizens and businesses perceptions and expectations towards a variety of thematic areas, such as the EU integration and regional cooperation, digitalisation, green recovery, employment, and for the second year in a row it includes topics concerning a challenging ...


24 Jun 2021
Bregu: Balkan Barometer reveals human uncertainty and vulnerability are main concerns followed by some goodish news on benefits of regional cooperation news

RCC presents 7th edition of Balkan Barometer, annual survey on people and business viewpoints  Tirana – “This, seventh in a row, Balkan Barometer shows human uncertainty and vulnerability are the main concerns followed by some goodish news which is the consciousness about the benefits of regional cooperation. For 49% of Western Balkan citizens, unemployment is the biggest problem, ...


23 Jun 2021
Balkan Barometer Business Opinion survey

Balkan Barometer 2021 - this is the 7th edition of annual public and business opinion survey commissioned by the RCC which examines Western Balkan citizens and businesses perceptions and expectations towards a variety of thematic areas, such as the EU integration and regional cooperation, digitalisation, green recovery, employment, and for the second year in a row it includes topics concerning a challenging ...


17 Jun 2021
Bregu: Voice, concerns, hopes & expectations of the people from the region are core of the RCC work news

SEECP Meeting of Foreign Ministers and the SEECP Summit held in Antalya Antalya – Leaders of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) approved the RCC-developed strategy for socio-economic development of South East Europe (SEE) in the next decade – SEE2030 Strategy, at their Summit held in Antalya, Turkey today.  “The SEE 2030 Strategy is a regional call ...


16 Jun 2021
Bregu: 2020 was difficult, but a real progress and achievements have been made for development of our region news

Participants of the RCC Annual Meeting endorse SEE2030 Strategy and RCC Annual Report  Antalya – “Last year, ruled by the pandemic has definitely showcased the extent of our interconnectivity and interdependency and demonstrated that in cooperating, we boost our strengths and resilience. It is clear that regional socio-economic integration is crucial for regional development. ...


10 Jun 2021
Bregu: The distance between the vision & plan for Common Regional Market calls for more resolute actions news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the WB6 Leaders & EU Summit in Tirana Tirana – “EU integration support in the Western Balkans continues to increase: this year it is backed up by 62% of citizens compared to 59% of last year. The support of our citizens and businesses of regional cooperation is even higher - 77% of citizens believe regional cooperation can contribute to better ...


08 Jun 2021
Meeting of the Ministers of Foregn Affairs within the Berlin Process’s Western Balkan Summit, speech by RCC Secretary General speech

Speech by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs within the Berlin Process’s Western Balkan Summit, on 8 June 2021.


08 Jun 2021
Bregu: Common Regional Market is a rule of thumb, not a law of nature news

RCC at the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs within the Berlin Process’s Western Balkan Summit  Sarajevo/Tirana – “Common Regional Market (CRM) is a rule of thumb, not a law of nature. It doesn’t apply to every single national vision a government or economy in the region has, nor to every kind of good or bad bilateral relations. It is a broaden-and-build ...


31 May 2021
Bregu: With regional youth unemployment rate at 35.1% the need to act is clear, as youth is our most precious asset news

RCC’s ESAP Project presents Study on Youth Employment in Western Balkans  Sarajevo/Online – “Youth and jobs has not been a good combination in the Western Balkans for some time. The average regional youth unemployment rate in 2020 was 35.1%, which is more than double the European Union (EU) rate of 16.9%. Some of it can be blamed on the COVID 19 pandemic that stopped job ...


27 May 2021
BALKHATHON 2.0 award ceremony: Six Best Teams to be Awarded for their Digital Solutions news

EUR 54,000 will be split into 6 awards for the best ideas in the areas of Smart City, Green City, E-health and E-entrepreneurship  Sarajevo/Podgorica – Winners of the second Western Balkans’ online competition for the best digital solutions, BALKATHON 2.0 are to receive their awards tomorrow, 28 May 2021, at the final event starting at 10.00 hrs live on the Regional Cooperation ...


24 May 2021
Presentation of the Western Balkans SecuriMeter - the first-ever regional Public Opinion Survey on Security, Opening remarks by RCC Secretary General speech

Intruductory remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the Presentation of the Western Balkans SecuriMeter - the first-ever regional Public Opinion Survey on Security, on 24 May 2021.


24 May 2021
Bregu: 70% of Western Balkans citizens are afraid their children or young relatives might be radicalised online news

RCC present Western Balkans SecuriMeter - the first-ever regional Public Opinion Survey on Security Sarajevo – “The current global pandemic made it clear that security threats are not taking any time off. The region finds it very important to work on addressing the security challenges in the Western Balkans. It is quite interesting that 55% of those 82% who point out organised crime ...


07 May 2021
Bregu: Region’s efforts on the Common Regional Market reform agenda are widely recognized & supported news

RCC hosts the first Donor Coordination meeting on Common Regional Market   Sarajevo/Tirana – “Region’s efforts regarding the Common Regional Market (CRM) reform agenda are widely recognized and supported, including at the recent G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting, where the leaders supported further progress on regional cooperation through the Common Regional ...


04 May 2021
Bregu: Cooperative policies won’t happen unless they have domestic support at home and we commit ourselves to meeting what was promised news

Roaming free Western Balkans Six as of 1 July: Stay Charged, Roam Free!  “1.4 million people in the Western Balkans are registered as unemployed. Out of that number, 760,000 are women, while 173,000 are young people. There are 1 million more men working in the Western Balkans than women. Are you still wondering why we need the Common Regional Market? A bigger market means ...


29 Apr 2021
COVID-19 and the World of Decent Work interview

Article on the occasion of 1 May, Labour Day 2021 edition of the International Labour Day: COVID-19 and the World of Decent Work "Around a quarter of youth in the Western Balkans are NEETs – neither in employment, education or training (2019 data). Moreover, out of the total registered unemployed at the end of February 2021, 173,031 are young people, under 24 years, which is more than 12% ...


26 Apr 2021
RCC Secretary General for Fena: As of July 1, roaming costs in the entire Western Balkans will be zero interview

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke to BiH news agency Fena end of April 2021 RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu spoke to BiH news agency FENA end of April 2021. Bregu, among other things, spoke about RCC’s and Western Balkans response to Covid-19 outbreak, challenges the region is facing, such as high unemployment, Regional Roaming Agreement, which will bring zero roaming costs within ...


19 Apr 2021
Bregu: 93% of young people in the Western Balkans believe public administrations should involve young people in decision-making news

First Informal Donor Coordination Meeting on Youth Agenda kicked off today  Sarajevo, Tirana – “According to Balkan Barometer 2021, 93% of young people in the Western Balkans age 18-24 believe that public administrations should strengthen mechanisms for consulting and involving young people in decision-making. This clearly shows the path for all our further actions in which youth, ...


15 Apr 2021
Bregu: Men outnumber women in the region’s labour force by more than a million news

RCC and UNDP launched Regional Network of Women in STEM  Sarajevo/New York – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched today the Regional Network of Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) as part of a RCC-UNDP joint initiative on Women Economic Empowerment (WEE), drawing on the Common Regional Market ...


14 Apr 2021
Bregu, Grlic-Radman discuss South East Europe Strategy 2030 and Green Lanes between EU and WB news

Regional Cooperation Council hosts Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs in its Sarajevo headquarters today   Sarajevo – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, welcomed the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia, Gordan Grlić-Radman, at the organisation’s headquarters in Sarajevo today.  Secretary ...


08 Apr 2021
Western Balkans endorses Tirana Declaration to Support Tourism in the Region news

RCC is refocusing sustainable tourism agenda as an integrated part of Common Regional Market Sarajevo/Tirana – Ministers and representatives of the six Western Balkans (WB) governments endorsed the Tirana Declaration on supporting sustainable tourism recovery and growth in the region, at the high-level regional conference marking the finalisation of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s ...


29 Mar 2021
Report on the Activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 October 2020 – 1 March 2021 report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 October 2020 – 1 March 2021.


19 Mar 2021
Article by Gazeta Si, featuring RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu and results and successes of the Regional Cooperation Council article

Albanian web portal Gazeta Si published an article dubbed "The unspoken of Majlinda Bregu/the International Mission", featuring RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu and results and successes of the Regional Cooperation Council.


11 Mar 2021
Bregu: 77% of Western Balkans citizens agree that the relations in the region are better than a year ago news

RCC Board met today for the 42nd time since the establishment of the organisation Sarajevo/Tirana – “The months since our last meeting in October have been difficult with the onset of new Covid-19 waves and new variants of the virus turning things topsy-turvy with a downward spiralling. In terms of regional cooperation, the big good news was the success of the Sofia Summit of the ...


08 Mar 2021
RCC’s “WE’’ Campaign Continues: Only once you are authentic, can you truly bring your best into the business! news

Marking the 8th of March, International Women’s Day, with ZOJA KUKIC, a remarkable young woman from Serbia Sarajevo/Tirana/Belgrade – “Business world is harsh for young people, especially women in Western Balkans, where they account for only 27.5% of business owners, and just 14.2% of companies’ top managers are female. Gender prejudices are not vanished yet, but there ...


02 Mar 2021
FUTOURISMO award ceremony, Introductory remarks by RCC SG speech

Intruductory remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of FUTOURISMO award ceremony held on 2 March 2021 in an online format.


02 Mar 2021
Bregu: Futourismo is a new hope to help our region recover its tourism news

In 2019 more than 12 million people visited Western Balkans, which brought region a profit of 7.2 billion euros. Tourism made 10.2% of the region’s GDP and accounted for more than 25% of exports and on average 11.4% of the total employees in the Western Balkans was from this sector, 55% of whom were women. Tirana/Sarajevo – Seven teams from the Western Balkans: •   ...


11 Feb 2021
Op-Ed: Women’s empowerment is essential to Western Balkans’ efforts to build back better from the pandemic article

By Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and Mirjana Spoljaric, Regional Director for UNDP’s Bureau for Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States


18 Dec 2020
5th Ministerial Meeting on Environment and Climate Action in the Western Balkans - Introductory remarks by RCC SG speech

Intruductory remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the 5th Ministerial Meeting on Environment and Climate Action in the Western Balkans, held online on 18 December 2020


11 Dec 2020
Speech of the Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Launch of RCC-UNDP initiative on women empowerment speech

Speech by the Regional Cooperation Council's (RCC) Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the launching of the the joint RCC and UNDP initiative 'Women’s Economic Empowerment: Areas for joint actions in the Western Balkans' held online on 11 December 2020.


11 Dec 2020
Bregu: Hire women, promote women and invest in women - that is our future news

Joint initiative by RCC and UNDP targets women’s economic empowerment in the Western Balkans Sarajevo/Tirana/New York - "What we are launching today is a platform which will allow us all to strategise on how to best contribute to unlocking women power in the region. The reasons are obvious. Prior to pandemic, almost two-thirds of working-age women in the Western Balkans were either unemployed ...


08 Dec 2020
Bregu: Common Regional Market is a tool that will get us faster to the EU accession interview

In an interview originally published by BiH portal Politicki.ba, Majlinda Bregu spoke about the Common Regional Market (CRM), endorsed in Sofia on 10 November 2020 by Western Balkans leaders. Read about the purpose, benefits and next steps in the implementation of the CRM Action Plan.


07 Dec 2020
Bregu: ‘Regional cooperation’ and ‘regional integration’ are the two sides of the same coin news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Friends of Europe’s EU-Western Balkans Summit: Creative solutions, sustainable cooperation and smart development Brussels/Sarajevo - "‘Regional cooperation’ and ‘regional integration’ are the two sides of the same coin. Integrating markets might be more of a process of EU integration. But regional cooperation is more than ...


10 Nov 2020
Speech of the Secretary General at the Western Balkans Sofia Summit on 10 November 2020 speech

Speech of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the Western Balkans Sofia Summir, held on 10 November 2020 in online format.


10 Nov 2020
Bregu: Transformation will not happen overnight but setting bold goals will accelerate the change if we can work together news

Sofia - A new phase of regional economic integration started today with the Western Balkans Six leaders endorsing the Common Regional Market Action Plan, and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, both facilitated by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at the Berlin Process Summit held online in Sofia today.    MORE INFO ON COMMON REGIONAL MARKET  “The Regional ...


09 Nov 2020
RCC SG speech at the Meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs within the Berlin Process speech

Introductory remarks by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of the Berlin Process ministerial conference, held on 9 November 2020 in online format.


09 Nov 2020
Bregu: Western Balkan governments will have to shoulder responsibility to implement Common Regional Market news

RCC Secretary General at Berlin Process ministerial conference: We are proud to have shouldered together with EU NEAR, regional organizations, IFI-s, and other partners the heavy burden of the process of preparing the Common Regional Market Action Plan  Sofia - “Tomorrow the six Western Balkan leaders will endorse the new Action Plan for this region - Common Regional Market. Common ...


05 Nov 2020
Interview of the RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for Novi Magazin interview

"Western Balkans needs to pull its own weight as well, and there comes the Common Regional Market Plan that goes hand in hand with EU’s EIP. We are very small geographic area of around 18 million people altogether. And yet, almost 50% of people in the Western Balkans do not have the equal opportunity to free movement with identity documents. It is a region of scattered markets with different rules ...


02 Nov 2020
Bregu: While EU and the world are advancing to fit to the Digital Age, we need to run twice as fast to close the discrepancies news

Closing of the 3rd Western Balkans Digital Summit: WB 6 ministers sign memorandums of understanding on 5G roadmap for digital transformation and on regional interoperability and trust services in the region  Tirana/Sarajevo – “At the last years' Digital Summit in Belgrade we witnessed a success story when the ministers of the Western Balkans (WB) six in charge of information ...


27 Oct 2020
Bregu: Roma integration should not be a matter of empathy for a vulnerable group, but a matter of principle of treating equally all Western Balkans citizens news

Tirana hosts Ministerial Meeting on Roma Integration: housing, civil registration, data collection & budgeting in focus Tirana – “Roma integration should not be a matter of empathy for a vulnerable group, but it’s a matter of principle of treating equally all the citizens in the Western Balkans. We are glad that our initiative to boost human capital development within Connectivity ...


26 Oct 2020
Opening remarks of the RCC Secretary General at the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2020 speech

Speech of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the opening of the 3rd Western Balkans Digital Summit 2020 in Tirana on 26 October 2020


26 Oct 2020
Bregu: We now pay between 83% and 96% less roaming charges in the entire Western Balkans, and as of July 2021 roaming costs will be 0 news

The 3rd Western Balkans Digital Summit opens in Tirana Tirana/Sarajevo – The Third Western Balkans Digital Summit (WBDS) has been opened in Tirana today, continuing its legacy, which started at the WBDS Skopje in 2018 – the first ever WB DS that initiated digital policy dialogue on WB digital transformation at the highest prime ministers level, followed by the DS in Belgrade in 2019 ...


22 Oct 2020
Bregu: Common Regional Market is a stepping stone for the Western Balkans to align with EU single market rules news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the 10th Belgrade Security Forum held online Belgrade/Sarajevo – “Some estimates say that regional economic integration in the Western Balkans could generate up to 2.5% of GDP growth should the level of integration reach the level of EFTA, and should it reach the EU level of integration, it could generate 6.7% of GDP growth. Therefore, I am pleased ...


16 Oct 2020
RCC Secretary General speech at the Berlin Process Interior Ministers' Meeting speech

Speech by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the Berlin Process Interior Ministers' Meeting held on 16 October 2020


16 Oct 2020
Bregu: The region needs common market to ensure free movement of business people, drivers and citizens in the Western Balkans news

RCC Secretary General at the Berlin Process Interior Ministers’ Meeting focussing on facilitated movement in WB6 economies with ID cards Sarajevo/Tirana/Skopje - “We are not a perfect region, but we want to make the best out of an imperfect picture. As a first step from today the Regional Cooperation Council is proud to facilitate an all-inclusive regional agreement on movement with ...


15 Oct 2020
Bregu: Common Regional Market is the way forward news

RCC Board met today for the 41st time Sarajevo, Tirana - “Multi Annual Action Plan for Regional Economic Area (MAP REA) is in its final stage of implementation. Now it’s clear that the region has benefited from this regional frame but is also ready for an upgrade. We have the Regional Roaming Agreement, Regional Investment Reform Agenda, Digital Summits as a success stories that remind ...


01 Oct 2020
Bregu: Economic integration among the Western Balkans 6, and with the EU, is the most important in this moment news

Tirana/Sarajevo – “I believe that closer relations in the process of European integration of the region, especially economic integration among the Western Balkans (WB) 6, and with the EU, are the most important in this moment. Because regional economic integration of the WB is not a self-standing process, but an instrument to increase region’s convergence with the EU single market ...


22 Sep 2020
Bregu: With joint border crossing points Western Balkans could save 800 mil euro a year – we should set them among WB but also with EU news

Sarajevo/Skopje/Belgrade – “If we would have more joint border crossing points and if those would be working 24/7, with all the regulation in place, phytosanitary procedures and customs regulations eased down, than we would, as a region, save 800 million EUR per year,” said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at the press conference at Tabanovci ...


14 Sep 2020
Secretary General for EWB: Western Balkans can not lose another decade marked with new instabilities interview

European Western Balkans (EWB), a regional web portal specialized in European integration process of the Western Balkans, published an interview with RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on regional initiative “Green Corridors”, an initiative "achieved in times of big crisis. Western Balkans 6, the Regional Cooperation Council, the Transport Community Treaty Secretariat and CEFTA, with the support ...


11 Sep 2020
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu for Deutsche Welle interview

Deutsche Welle published an interview with RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu. Among other things Bregu said: "Any initiative that takes economic co-operation forward is always welcome and worth discussing. However, on the other hand, I think there is room in the Western Balkans to include all those good ideas that may come from initiatives, such as the so-called Mini-Schengen initiative, in ...


28 Aug 2020
What would we expect from a more geopolitical EU? news

Bregu: What would we expect from a more geopolitical EU? Simple: Clear and bold decisions to acknowledge the good of having WB in EU as well as the damage associated with long prolong EU membership   Regional Cooperation Council takes part at 2020 GLOBSEC’s “Let’s Heal the World Together” Online Forum Bratislava/Tirana/Sarajevo – “What would we expect from a more geopolitical ...


13 Aug 2020
Bregu: We’ve got your back, it’s youth time! news

RCC championing Sarajevo Film Festival’s 'Heart of Sarajevo' award for the Best Student Film for the 4th time in a row Sarajevo – For the 4th time in a row the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is the patron of the 'Heart of Sarajevo' award for the Best Student Film at the 26th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF), taking place 14-21 August, which this year, due to the corona virus pandemic, goes ...


25 Jun 2020
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2019-2020 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period April 2019 – April 2020. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


25 Jun 2020
Bregu: It is up to the region to retain commitment to cooperation and bring forth tangible progress to citizens news

RCC Secretary General takes part in SEECP Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting and hosts, with SEECP CiO, 12th RCC Annual meeting Tirana/Sarajevo/Prishtina – The two meetings have been held today within the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) - the meeting of the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs and the RCC Annual Meeting, which RCC co-organised with the outgoing Kosovo SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office ...


24 Jun 2020
Bregu: Cooperation is the only blueprint that holds the promise of ‘Stronger Together’ news

The Shape of the Things to Come - Presentation of Balkan Barometer 2020 Balkan Barometer 2020 reveals sentiments of citizens and businesses in the region, with a special addition conveying effects of the COVID-19 outbreak   Balkan Barometer 2020 presentation was going LIVE  Sarajevo – “The regional cooperation continues to grow in prominence with an overwhelming ...


23 Jun 2020
The Shape of the Things to Come - Presentation of Balkan Barometer 2020 news

Annual public and business opinion survey including COVID19 Impact Assessment Moderated by Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General; and key guest speakers Olivér Várhelyi, EU Enlargement Commissioner; & Wolfgang Ischinger, Munich Security Conference Chairman Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will present 2020 edition of Balkan Barometer on Wednesday 24 June 2020. This ...


16 Jun 2020
Minister Cakaj visits RCC, meets Secretary General Bregu and expresses Albania’s support to RCC and regional cooperation news

Gent Cakaj, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania visited Regional Cooperation Council Offices in Sarajevo today Sarajevo – Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Albania, Gent Cakaj, visited the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) office in Sarajevo today on the sidelines of his official visit to Sarajevo and meetings with highest Bosnia and Herzegovina’s officials.   Minister ...


26 May 2020
Bregu: Western Balkans needs to switch its development trajectory from physical capital accumulation to knowledge accumulation news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu welcomed participants of the ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe Sarajevo/Tirana/Geneva - “Still unpublished latest edition of the RCC’s annual public and business survey for the Wester Balkans -  Balkan Barometer 2020 shows that, as expected, internet was extensively used for communication purposes with the proliferation of social media (69%), ...


14 May 2020
Bregu: Pandemic created a common awareness that at least for now humankind takes precedence over politics and disputes news

RCC Board met online to hear about the activities of the organization in the past period and discuss future steps Sarajevo – “For all its aggressiveness, the COVID-19 crisis also offers glimmers of hope. It has connected Western Balkans even more, this time in a fight against an invisible enemy. It has persuaded us that cooperation should be resilient. It has created a common awareness ...


06 May 2020
RCC Secretary General speech at the EU-Western Balkans Zagreb Summit speech

Speech by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the EU-WB Zagreb Summit held online on 6 May 2020


06 May 2020
Bregu: No brilliant regional plan can succeed without strong political leadership and fully synchronized EU- WB trajectories news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu officially announces RCC working to develop REA2 at the EU-Western Balkans Zagreb Summit Sarajevo/Tirana/Zagreb - Now, almost 4 years after we initiated the work on Regional Economic Area (REA) the region is ready to embark on the next phase of deepening regional economic cooperation assure the WB6 economies to have ownership first, and bringing the region ...


05 May 2020
RCC Secretary General for Radio Free Europe (RFE) interview

“Implementation of initiatives to strengthen cooperation amongst the [Western] Balkans Six economies would create conditions for better life of our citizens. What might save us from pains is for the political leaders and experts to say, because coronavirus pandemic is an abnormal situation that comes with abnormal risks. Cooperation is vital and I believe we all got the idea that solo play will bring ...


26 Apr 2020
Majlinda Bregu, RCC SG's interview for N1 about the Western Balkans during & after COVID-19 pandemic interview

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) talks to N1 TV in an online interview about life in the Western Balkans during the corona virus pandemic, its effects on the tourism sector, Green Corridors and the EU integration of the region


24 Mar 2020
Statement by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on EU Member States’ decision to open negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia news

“Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity” Robert Schuman    Tirana/Sarajevo – “Good news for us today as the EU Member States reached a long overdue political agreement to open the accession talks with Albania and North Macedonia, confirming that the ...


20 Mar 2020
Bregu: The only way to prevent shortages of medical equipment or food in WB is to simplify and harmonize sanitary controls – a Green Corridor news

Tirana/Sarajevo – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, spoke last night at the Tirana based RTV Klan’s Opinion show, about the major distress in the region after the European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/402, which imposes new rules, for the export of personal protective equipment and medical equipment outside the EU. Below is ...


18 Mar 2020
Bregu: Cooperation is crucial in having effective response to fight the pandemic news

Region unites over need to establish green corridor within the region and with the EU RCC hosts video-conference consultations with representatives of six Western Balkan Governments, EU and other regional stakeholders on joint actions to mitigate consequences of pandemic caused by Covid-19 Sarajevo – “These are days of rapid developments by a minute, both at the level of EU and our region ...


21 Feb 2020
Speech by RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the Western Balkans Competitiveness and Innovation Accelerator kick-off meeting speech

"Without a strategic innovation function that can enhance the capacities to incubate and accelerate the new technologies, companies in this region will continue to stockpiling undeveloped inventions and this will not return in an investment. " The RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu delivered the speech at the Western Balkans Competitiveness and Innovation Accelerator kick-off meeting held on 21 ...


21 Feb 2020
Bregu: Without strategic innovation Western Balkans will not turn inventions into investments – we need to think bigger news

“Beautiful Minds Inspire Others”: Regional Cooperation Council & World Economic Forum to help accelerate competitiveness and innovation in the Western Balkans Tirana – “Without a strategic innovation function that can enhance the capacities to incubate and accelerate new technologies, companies in the Western Balkans will continue to stockpiling undeveloped inventions and this will ...


19 Feb 2020
My “whack a mole” questions on Innovation, Op-ed by Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General article

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on the necessity of investing in innovation as the engine of the economic growth in the region: "I am still wandering how good we, from this region are in finding the needle in the haystack of vast pools of innovation and technology? The right needle I mean, the one that can help us spot anomalies in this global reshape of economies, called 4th industrial revolution?! What ...


17 Feb 2020
Talking Points by the RCC Secretary General at the International Donors’ Conference “Together for Albania” declaration/decision

Talking points and pledge by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the International Donors’ Conference “Together for Albania”, held in Brussels on 17 February 2020 and organised by the EU, aiming to support reconstruction efforts after the earthquake that struck Albania at the end of November 2019.


17 Feb 2020
Bregu: Affinity, empathy and kinship give sense of cooperation and solidarity, not bureaucracy and “business as usual” news

RCC attended International Donors’ Conference “Together for Albania” in Brussels  Brussels – “As an Albanian, I’m overwhelmed and most emotional by the immense support shown here today. The November earthquake was maybe the longest minute of my life so far. It is heartbreaking to hear testimonies of those who lost their dearest ones and face the uncertainty of the future for the ...


10 Feb 2020
Bregu: Regional cooperation is all about joint solutions to common challenges news

RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu meets Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu Ankara – “RCC appreciates the longstanding commitment and dedication of Turkey to regional cooperation that will continue this summer as it is taking over Chairmanship-in-Office of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP C-i-O) from Kosovo*. During this Chairmanship, the RCC will present the ...


31 Jan 2020
Bregu: We are committed to enable the region to be an exporter of security news

RCC at high-level meeting on the implementation of the Roadmap for comprehensive SALW in the Western Balkans Berlin – “Nearly half of all respondents of the RCC’s Balkan Barometer are unhappy with the security situation in their economy - with estimates that five out of the six surveyed economies, Albania excluded, make the world’s top 20 list for civilian gun ownership. However we are ...


31 Jan 2020
Bregu: This is much needed opportunity to work together on transformation of our countries into the future EU member states news

France re-joins Regional Cooperation Council Berlin – The Republic of France has decide to re-join the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), announced French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Jean-Yves Le Drian, at the high-level meeting of the Franco-German Coordination Initiative on Small Arms and Light Weapons Control in the Western Balkans, taking place in Berlin today. “This ...


30 Jan 2020
RCC Secretary General Bregu meets Commissioners Varhelyi and Gabriel in Brussels: RCC remains reliable EU partner in the region news

Brussels – “2020 is a critical year for the region and mutual relations between the EU and the Western Balkans but also for unhindered economic growth. RCC remains a reliable partner of the EU in the region but also a reliable partner of the region in the EU. We all have high hopes and expectations of new, positive developments during the Croatian Presidency of the EU and the upcoming Summit in ...


24 Jan 2020
Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu for Euronews Albania interview

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu spoke to Euronews Albania on meaning, importance, successes and challenges of the Regional Economic Area. The entire interview is avaliable at the following link https://euronews.al/al/aktualitet/2020/01/23/majlinda-bregu-shpresoj-qe-marreveshja-ps-pd-te-mos-jete-vetem-per-paqe-mes-aktoreve-te-politikes


17 Jan 2020
Bregu: Parliamentary dialogue and cooperation remain a steady beacon in the ongoing struggle for democracy news

Tirana – “In times when politics is in critical condition, Parliamentary dialogue between the Western Balkans and EU on the future of the region is much needed.  Therefore I would propose to start an institutionalised dialogue In this regard, and the regional Cooperation Council (RCC) stands ready to facilitate it” said RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at the opening of the Conference ...


16 Jan 2020
The air pollution is killing us: Article by the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu for FENA News Agency article

In the article for FENA News Agency, the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu reiterates the importance of addressing the air pollution in the region, as it continuously jeopardises health and wellbeing of the citizens. Many Western Balkans cities occupy the tops of the lists of the most polluted cities in the world and decisive actions to mitigate air pollution ...


09 Jan 2020
Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu for “Vijesti” interview

INTERVIEW: Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu for “Vijesti”


09 Jan 2020
Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu in the EU Scream podacst on the EU perspective of the Western Balkans interview

Secretary General of the regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu in the EU Scream podacst on the EU perspective of the Western Balkans https://euscream.com/macrons-ugly-side/ Audio: EN


08 Jan 2020
RCC Secretary-General Majlinda Bregu's interview to the Albanian magazine Monitor interview

"The Western Balkans is not the same as 10 or 20 years ago. So new, innovative ideas, free movement, new approaches to structural funds, environment, tourism, connectivity, youth, women and the need for more women and girls in science and technology, etc., are the real debate to be held today."


27 Dec 2019
Bregu: I am gratified that during the leaving year regional cooperation delivered, even under stress news

Statement of the RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu wrapping up organisation’s 2019 activities and announcing the future plans Sarajevo  - At the end of 2019, it is time to wrap up the year, summing up activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and announcing our future plans: Here is the statement of our Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu on this occasion:  “I’ve ...


25 Dec 2019
RCC fully committed to regional cooperation news

Regional Cooperation Council invited to “Mini-Schengen” meetings, together with EU, USA, WB, EBRD & EIB, to hear the proposals of WB leaders Sarajevo – There have been many discrepancies and a lack of clear information on the role of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in the so called “Mini-Schengen” initiative meetings. Regional Cooperation Council is invited to “Mini-Schengen” ...


21 Dec 2019
Bregu: Pleased to see that Western Balkans regional initiative focuses on people and clearly outlines EU integration as its final goal news

Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General attends meeting of Western Balkan Leaders in Tirana Tirana – “We at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) are pleased to see that this regional initiative places primary focus on people, particularly that it clearly outlines our ultimate destination – the European Union (EU). We also welcome ambitious list for the next meeting already in January ...


20 Dec 2019
Article by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the RCC: We might not be as competitive as Germany, but we need to counter our fears and ensure mobility of students in the Western Balkans article

Article by Majlinda Bregu, the RCC Secretary General for Political Trends and Dynamics in Southeast Europe publication of Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) about youth in the region and organisation's activities to support full utilisation of this human potential Youth accounts for over 21% of population in the Western Balkans (WB), or more than 3.5 million in a region of some 18 million people all ...


16 Dec 2019
Climate change does not need Schengen visa, Article by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council article

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on burning issue and challanges of climate change and Green Agenda in the Western Balkans: "We need to do more to raise awareness among the citizens that each and every one of us, including children, can and should make a difference. We truly are in this together, whether you like to admit it or not. The small steps also count – reducing plastic containers, minding ...


11 Dec 2019
EU boosts support for regional cooperation in the Western Balkans news

Regional cooperation is an essential element of the European perspective for the Western Balkans. EU commitment to regional cooperation was further reinforced by the signature of a EUR 12.5 million contract with the Regional Cooperation Council  Brussels - In the margins of the Western Balkan Sherpas meeting, which took place in Brussels today in the run-up to the EU-Western Balkans Summit ...


06 Dec 2019
Secretary General Bregu: Delay in the EU enlargement generates "disappointment climate" in the Western Balkans interview

RCC Secretary General for Austria Presse Agentur (APA): The delay in the EU enlargement has created a "disappointment climate" in the Western Balkans. "People are the ones who really support the EU accession process," says Secretary General. "They believe that if the EU standards apply to their country, they will feel safer, have equal opportunities to find a job, and be treated fairly in court of ...


03 Dec 2019
Bregu: It’s time to come with a clear stand on the accession process of the Western Balkans news

RCC Secretary General took part in the Friends of Europe’s Conference on the future of the Balkans Brussels – “Time to end pretence!  EU should honour its Treaty and come with a clear stand on the accession process of the Western Balkans. Thanks to the new EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for clearly articulating the vision of Europe as a continent. We hope this will be the ...


02 Dec 2019
Bregu: It’s high time for the Western Balkans to address challenges and sensitivities with a clearer and ambitious vision news

RCC Secretary General addressed the meeting of Coordinators in charge of MAP REA implementation Brussels – “The region is at a different landscape. It is high time to address challenges and sensitivities with a clearer and ambitious vision. We are initiating the process of the new economic vision beyond 2020 in close consultation with all six Western Balkan (WB) economies and the European ...


21 Nov 2019
Bregu: Demographic trends in the Western Balkans and the EU are the best illustration of the real aspirations and needs of the citizens news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu took part in the high-level panel debate on the Western Balkans-EU relationship  Zagreb – “Both Europe and Western Balkans are changing demographically, frequently as a model of ‘sending’ and ‘receiving’ countries, as most of around 230,000 citizens have legally migrated from the region to the EU in 2018 alone, while more than 5 million (or ...


19 Nov 2019
Bregu: The region vests high hopes in the upcoming Croatian Presidency of the EU Council in 2020 news

Secretary General of the RCC, Majlinda Bregu met with Croatian Prime Minister, Andrej Plenković in Zagreb  Zagreb – “Priorities of the Croatian 6-month Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council beginning in January 2020 stressing the usage of full potential of infrastructure and human resources, connectivity and networking of the economies, mesh well with the regional cooperation ...


18 Nov 2019
Bregu: Region cannot wait forever in the line for EU interview

RCC Secretary General for Politika: “The new EU enlargement strategy has to be a bold, clear, coherent strategy, avoiding ambiguity, a methodology that could install better connection between the EU and the Western Balkans even before accession, without empty promises, and definitely a methodology that could empower economies in the region to work on the reforms."


18 Nov 2019
RCC takes IISG – Western Balkans’ internal security governance platform under its wing news

Integrative Internal Security Governance (IISG) Board has endorsed functional merger with the RCC as of April 2020 Skopje – “We will be bigger. As of next year the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will coordinate one of the most important agendas of the region: security. Security threats do not need any visa or border checks”, said the RCC's Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu after today’s ...


12 Nov 2019
Bregu: For us at RCC, the Regional Cooperation is a Developing Story news

Statement by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperating Council, Majlinda Bregu on Ohrid initiative  Sarajevo – “We have been asked and received a lot of questions on Novi Sad and Ohrid meetings, the so called “mini-Schengen” and our role in this. Let me be clear. The RCC is fully committed to the regional cooperation.  This is our mission and we were invited to Ohrid ...


10 Nov 2019
Bregu: RCC supports all initiatives contributing towards EU ‘single market’-like agenda for Western Balkans news

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council takes part in the meeting of Western Balkan leaders in Ohrid Ohrid – “The Regional Cooperation Council supports all initiatives that contribute towards an EU ‘single market’-like agenda for our region, based on the four freedoms. The initiatives should fully mirror the EU models and in such a way represent a stepping ...


05 Nov 2019
Low women employment and labour market skills mismatch in Western Balkans call for stronger cooperation news

Istanbul – “The women unemployment in the Western Balkans is 60%. Analyses show a big mismatch in the labour market(s) between the demands and offered sets of skills and knowledge. Almost half of the students in the region enrol into the Humanities, Social Sciences and Business study programmes (49%) and only 24% of them choose Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) subjects, ...


30 Oct 2019
Bregu: While waiting for EU plans for the region, we should focus on connectivity through regional cooperation and serious domestic reforms news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council was a Keynote Speaker as 5th edition of Tirana Connectivity Forum Tirana – “Instead of having a focused discussion on Connectivity agenda and how much out of the 1 billion euro of the European Union’s (EU) grants from 2015 to 2020 was spent or how important connecting people and markets in the region is, etc. this October, this meeting ...


22 Oct 2019
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 May – 30 September 2019.


18 Oct 2019
Bregu: Air pollution biggest environmental threat to health in WB – EU should consider this as ‘Fundamentals First’- air pollution knows no borders news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu at Belgrade Security forum: Disappointing news from the European Council today Belgrade – „Six cities in the Western Balkans (WB) are among the top 20 cities with the highest air pollution in the world, and air pollution is the single biggest environmental threat to human health. Cancer and tumor, the most serious health concerns in the region, ...


17 Oct 2019
Bregu: Western Balkans citizens need incentive from the EU news

RCC Board met in Sarajevo today, for the last time in 2019, to hear an update on the activities in period since the last meeting and provide guidance and approval on the future plans  Sarajevo – “While awaiting the European Union’s Summit’s official decision on the opening accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia today, for us in the Regional Cooperation ...


07 Oct 2019
Bregu: Whenever there is a political will, things in the region move forward news

RCC Secretary General in Salzburg: participating in the Salzburg Europe Summit and visiting University of Salzburg as guest lecturer  Salzburg – “Keeping the regional cooperation alive is a task that is easier said than done. For example, we had a very good, successful, story in the digital component of the Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans – Regional Roaming Agreement, which ...


04 Oct 2019
Speech by RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, at the High Level Regional Conference “It’s all about Justice” speech

RCC and Albanian Ministry of Justice, organised the High Level Regional Conference “It’s all about Justice” gathering WB6 ministers, representatives of judicial institutions, civil society, and media, in Tirana on 4 October 2019


04 Oct 2019
Bregu: There Is No Other Way to Build the Common European Future of the Region than the consolidation of Rule of Law - It’s All about Justice news

  RCC and Albanian Ministry of justice, organised High Level Regional Conference “It’s all about Justice” gathering WB6 ministers, representatives of judicial institutions, civil society, and media in Tirana today  WATCH VIDEO STATEMENT BY RCC SECRETARY GENERAL Tirana – “Albania and Northern Macedonia are eagerly awaiting mid-October's decision on opening of the EU negotiations, ...


25 Sep 2019
Bregu at SEECP meeting in New York: A free travel agreement - the new challenge for the region news

New York/Sarajevo - “Two months ago in Poznan, we launched a challenge for the region: a free travel agreement - based on the spirit and the word of already existing set of bilateral agreements which allow free travel with ID cards. This regional agreement should be facilitated by RCC as an important sign of the regional ownership and by the same spirit of Multi-annual Action Plan on a Regional ...


24 Sep 2019
Bregu: It’s the right moment for Western Balkans to show its strengths and ownership on region’s EU future news

RCC hosts informal meeting for the Western Balkans Minister of Foreign Affairs o the side-lines of the 74th United Nations General Assembly New York/Sarajevo – “It’s beyond Poznan time, which makes it the right moment for the Western Balkans to show its strengths and ownership on the EU future of the region. We should address shortcomings of the Regional Economic Area and adjust it to fit ...


15 Sep 2019
RCC: Listen to women – they are the key to unlocking the economic potential of this region news

WE featuring remarkable women from the Western Balkans: RCC’s  campaign continues with Iris Gjinovci  Sarajevo – Statistics show that more than 700.000 new jobs were created in the past 7 years in the Western Balkans, but only 4.3% of these were taken up by youth under 24 years of age.For a young person it takes about 2 years to get a job. “A quarter of a million of young people ...


03 Sep 2019
European Union will always be an unfinished business without the Western Balkans news

Bled – „European Union will always be an unfinished business without the Western Balkans. The price for stagnation and postponing further the decision on the opening of accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia is, in short, a risk. The non opening would bread instability, immigration, unconstructive influence of other geopolitical actors. Any positive moment can precipitate easily, ...


02 Sep 2019
"A clean, well-lighted place", article by Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General, for Bled Strategic Times article

Article by Majlinda Bregu, the RCC Secretary General, on European integration prospects of the Western Balkans in the 30 August 2019 issue of the Bled Strategic Times magazine. “European Integration of the Western Balkans is not a territorial agenda. It is a Transformational agenda. No one expects any shortage of sensitivities or emotional structures on display. But if we continue keeping the ...


20 Aug 2019
RCC championing young filmmakers at the Sarajevo Film Festival news

Sarajevo – For the 3rd time in a row the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is the patron of the 'Heart of Sarajevo' award for the Best Student Film at the 25th Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF). We continue to support creative young filmmakers in pursuit of their own path and professional development, because YOUNG PEOPLE MATTER!   “We are delighted to support the student competition ...


09 Jul 2019
SEECP leaders praise RCC, entrust it to pursue connectivity agenda of the region and prepare region’s strategy beyond 2020 news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu addressed South East European leaders at the SEECP Summit today Sarajevo – “By thanking Bosnia and Herzegovina for excellent cooperation in the past year of their Chairmanship-in-Office (C-i-O) of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), their contribution in leading and advancing regional cooperation through the SEECP framework, I would like ...


08 Jul 2019
Annual Report on of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) 2018-2019 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period April 2018 – May 2019. It outlines the main RCC activities and achievements during the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period. During the reporting period, ...


08 Jul 2019
Bregu: RCC keen to embark on any challenges with full support of regional and EU partners - we don’t need to loose time in order to find it again news

11th Annual Meeting of the RCC took place in Sarajevo today  Sarajevo – „A year behind us was a dynamic one and we are prepared to continue just as dynamic in the next one. We, at the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) are ready and keen to embark on any challenges ahead of us but we cannot do it without the full support of our regional and European partners, as we don’t need to loose ...


05 Jul 2019
Bregu: Western Balkan should embark on serious, wide-ranging facilitation agenda, including movement of people, goods, services and capital news

RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu addressed the Western Balkans and the EU leaders at the Summit in Poznan, Poland Poznan – “Two years after the Western Balkans’ (WB) Prime Ministers endorsed the Multi-annual Action Plan for the Regional Economic Area (MAP REA) in Trieste the region has not fully embraced the opportunities offered by the Regional Economic Area. Flows of goods, services, ...


04 Jul 2019
Bregu: Western Balkans needs to fully embrace and capitalize on the Regional Economic Area news

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the RCC spoke about implementation of the Action Plan for Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans at the region’s Economy Ministers Ministerial session Poznan – “Two years since the endorsement of Multi-annual Action plan on Regional Economic Area (MAP REA) in Trieste and one year since London our region can show only a mixed track record at ...


02 Jul 2019
Regional cooperation is becoming a steady pattern to EU’s magnetic attraction interview

The article of the RCC's Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu tackles anticipations of the Berlin Process's Western Balkans Summit in Poznan, Poland, staring on 4 July 2019. Summing the expectations up, Secretary General Bregu writes: On 1st of July, Roaming Reductions arrived. On 4th of July, the Western Balkans summit in Poznan will start. EU is a magnetic attraction, while regional cooperation is ...


18 Jun 2019
Bregu: Western Balkans can punch way above its weight if given a chance news

RCC Secretary General speaks at the Financial Times Forum in London dedicated to Foreign Direct Investments in Western Balkans London – “Share of the European Union (EU) in both Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) and exports in the region is well over 70%. For all the talk about the growing Russian and Chinese economic clout in the Western Balkans six (WB6), only 3% of exports in 2018 went to ...


13 Jun 2019
Bregu: Progress achieved by Western Balkans’ EU aspirants now calls for the European Union’s concrete and fast action news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the Annual General Meeting of the German Eastern Business Association in Berlin Berlin – “It is not just about enlargement any longer but rather about unification of Europe because the European Union (EU) without Western Balkans (WB) is incomplete. This region is Union's geostrategic interest zone. On the other hand, coming from the region, I would like to ...


12 Jun 2019
Interview: Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the RCC to A2 CNN channel interview

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu spoke with Endri Xhafo, journalist of Tirana-based A2 CNN, “I Ftuari” show, on visa liberalisation but also on the overall situation in the region, regional cooperation, results achieved and steps to follow in the upcoming period.


08 Jun 2019
Bregu: Integration into Regional Economic Area is a win-win for everyone news

RCC Secretary General meets Slovakian Foreign Minister  Bratislava – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu, met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Miroslav Lajcak, in Bratislava today. The two officials discussed the upcoming Western Balkans’ Berlin Process Summit in Poznan in July, in particular the deliverables when it comes to ...


07 Jun 2019
Bregu: EU will never be complete without Western Balkans - let’s move from “geopoetics” to geopolitics news

Regional Cooperation Council at 14th GLOBSEC Forum in Bratislava  Bratislava – “The EU without the Western Balkans will never be complete. But it cannot assume that business as usual will provide stability in the Western Balkans. It should take a much more political and strategic approach in the region. Let’s move from “geopoetics” to geopolitics. The EU must be ready to realistically ...


27 May 2019
Bregu: Investing in human capital paves the way towards economic development of the region news

RCC Secretary General at the Istanbul Development Dialogues 2019 Istanbul – “Much needed sustainable transformation of the region into a knowledge-based economy with equal opportunities for all citizens is a comprehensive agenda. It combines innovation, research and development, education, employment and social inclusion policies. We cannot continue focusing on economic growth strategy ...


16 May 2019
RCC Board meets: RCC stands ready to firmly push the integrative agenda and the European narrative forward news

 37th meeting of the RCC Board Sarajevo – “It is stock-taking time, to see what the RCC has been doing, both the accomplishments and the effects of the regional cooperation process on the people in the region, with many of the most pressing issues in the Western Balkans embedded in our work”, said Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu opening the ...


09 May 2019
Bregu: Divided we fall, united we stand news

RCC SG Majlinda Bregu at the EBRD’s Annual Meeting & Business Forum  Sarajevo – “Western Balkan economies are united by need and a sense of emergency and awareness that there is a clear reason why regions come together in the world. Divided we cannot stand, because we are small economies, each one with its own problems. But all together we could be an interesting market. This is ...


08 May 2019
Article by Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General, for Euromoney's Global Markets magazine article

Article by Majlinda Bregu, the RCC Secretary General on economic prospects of the Western Balkans in the 8 May 2019 issue of Euromoney's Global Markets magazine. “Standing on the gateway between the eastern and western part of the world, the region can serve as a safe harbour for investments whilst enabling easy access to the global market”.


30 Apr 2019
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 15 October 2018 – 1 March 2019.


24 Apr 2019
Bregu: Exercising real elements of mutual interests and good relations day by day of utmost importance for presenting the other face of this region news

Sarajevo – Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) took part in the coordination meeting of the Berlin Process focusing on the preparations for the July 2019 Western Balkans summit in Poznan, in Sarajevo today.  Speaking in the opening, Ms Bregu reiterated importance of regional cooperation and joint actions of the regional economies in the EU-integration ...


19 Apr 2019
Bregu: Majority of online harassment of WOMEN happens on social media and we need to STOP it #DigitalRespect4Her news

RCC ready to assist on a shared regional approach to address this problem Sarajevo - The European Commission recently launched the #DigitalRespect4Her Campaign to raise awareness about online violence against women and promote good practices to tackle this issue. “The majority of online harassment of WOMEN happens on social media. 45% of South East Europe citizens are daily social media users! ...


18 Apr 2019
Majlinda Bregu, the RCC Secretary General to Milica Magazine interview

In the interview to women's online Milica magazine, RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu talks about the region of South East Europe, successes and challenges of regional cooperation but also about the position of women in the region and being a woman in politics.


18 Apr 2019
RCC Bregu: Connecting within the region and with the EU of utmost importance for the Western Balkans news

RCC Secretary General in an official visit to Croatia Zagreb – Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) paid an official visit to Zagreb today within the series of political consultations in the South East Europe (SEE). During the visit she met with Marija Burić Pejčinović, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, and Domagoj Ivan ...


16 Apr 2019
Bregu: Western Balkans citizens believe civil society is key correctional factor, to hold governments accountable for their actions news

7th Western Balkans Civil Society Forum taking place in Tirana  Tirana – „The level of civic trust in governments and politics in general in the Western Balkans (WB) is alarming, as 60% of citizens do not trust neither the governments, parliaments nor the judicial systems, according to findings of new edition of the Balkan Barometer, based on the data from 2018”, said  Majlinda ...


09 Apr 2019
Bregu: If we want to move forward a new approach to education, promoting skills and supporting creativity is a must news

RCC at the 1st Forum ‘Science and Innovation 2030 Vision for the Western Balkans’ in Montenegro Ulcinj – “If we want to move forward a new approach to education, promoting skills and supporting creativity is a must, said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) addressing the participants of the 1st Forum “Science and Innovation 2030 for the Western ...


04 Apr 2019
Region seals the deal – 2021 roaming free Western Balkans news

Ministers of Telecommunications from the Western Balkans Signed Regional Roaming Agreement for the Western Balkans Belgrade – “A deal is a destination! Today’s signature of the Roaming Free Agreement is a step that makes a difference in the region. Amid all scepticism let us say loudly: Europe delivers”, said Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) upon ...


03 Apr 2019
RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu for Al Jazeera Balkans interview

Majlinda Bregu, the RCC Secretary General in an interview to Al Jazeera Balkans', 'Tell it to Al Jazeera' ('Recite Al Jazeeri') programme, talks about regional cooperation, achievements, challenges, her vision of the Western Balkans, benefits of the accession to the EU and much more.


01 Apr 2019
Roaming free? Downloading... Article by Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council article

Regional Roaming Agreement for the Western Balkans: "It means you would be able to speak, SMS or surf more, wherever in the region you find yourself in, and pay much less. No more worries about making sure that your data is off when you cross the border."


28 Mar 2019
Majlinda Bregu, RCC Secretary General in "My Living' programme of Albanian Tring TV interview

RCC Secretary General was a guest of 'My living' programme produced by Albanian TRING TV (tring.al). The programme features Ms Bregu during one day in Sarajevo in business and private setting.


22 Mar 2019
Bregu: Western Balkans should be EU’s geopolitical priority, but WB must outdo itself to become quality EU integration partner news

RCC Secretary General takes part at the COWEB meeting in Sarajevo today  Sarajevo – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu took part in the informal meeting of the Working Party on the Western Balkans Region (COWEB) in Sarajevo today, convened by the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), in cooperation with the South East ...


21 Mar 2019
RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu in RTSH1 Përballë programme interview

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu was a guest in Përballë programme of the Albanian Radio Televizioni Shqiptar (RTSH1), hosted by Lutfi Dervishi. The topics involved expected accomplishments of regional cooperation in 2019 and how they would affect ordinary citizens in the region.


15 Mar 2019
Bregu: Challenges in front of us in enhancing regional cooperation in time of uncertainty, will be even bigger news

RCC Board meets for the 36th time with the new RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu, chairing the meeting for the first time  Sarajevo – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu, for the first time since the inception of the duty, chaired the meeting of the organisation’s Board at the RCC Secretariat offices in Sarajevo, yesterday.  The Secretary General ...


14 Mar 2019
Bregu: Politics should act to the citizens’ concerns and deliver fast news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu meets Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Milorad Dodik  Sarajevo – Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) paid an official visit to Milorad Dodik, Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency, in Sarajevo today.  Bregu and Dodik discussed the regional cooperation, especially in light of the ...


13 Mar 2019
Bregu: Spreading the spirit of solidarity and tolerance beyond borders teaches young generations what really matters news

‘You are a Sunflower’ selected as a Champion of Regional Cooperation for 2018 by the RCC Sarajevo – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu presented the award of the Champion of Regional Cooperation for 2018 to the Founder and Chair of You are a Sunflower Foundation, Albana Osmani at the reception marking the 11th anniversary of the RCC ...


12 Mar 2019
Bregu, Zvizdic discuss Western Balkans’ progress towards regional economic area news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu meets Chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdić Sarajevo – Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) paid an official visit to Denis Zvizdić, Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Council of Ministers, in Sarajevo today.  Bregu and Zvizdić discussed the latest developments in implementation ...


08 Mar 2019
Listen to women – they are the key to unlocking the economic potential of this region news

RCC’ Secretary General Majlinda Bregu on the occasion of 8 March, International Women’s Day  Sarajevo - Instead of happy 8th of March, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is introducing the idea of the “WE”, starting with Nada Markovic, a pioneer of the first female cooperative in Bosnia and Hercegovina.  We met Nada Markovic, an energetic and down to earth woman, ...


07 Mar 2019
RCC Bregu: Cooperation in attracting investments, upskilling youth and women and connecting people priorities for the Western Balkans news

Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council visits Chamber of Investment Forum of the Western Balkan Six   Trieste – Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) visited the seat of the Western Balkans Six Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF) in Trieste today, where she met with Safet Gerxhaliu, Secretary General, Marko Čadež, ...


22 Feb 2019
RCC Bregu: We will keep pushing the region for concrete deliverables by Poznan summit news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu visits Montenegro and meets its top officials  Podgorica – On the second day of her visit to Montenegro, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu met with the Speaker of the Parliament, Ivan Brajović, Prime Minister, Duško Marković,  Minister of Foreign Affairs  Srđan Darmanović,  and Minister of ...


21 Feb 2019
RCC Bregu: Western Balkans is on the move, to step up reforms and strengthen regional cooperation news

Podgorica - Majlinda Bregu, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) started her consultations in Podgorica today by meeting Milo Đukanović, President of Montenegro.   Bregu and Đukanović discussed the current status of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans (WB), focusing on outstanding commitments of the participating economies in connectivity, digitalisation, ...


15 Feb 2019
Bregu: Investment in the European future of the Western Balkans is a win-win choice interview

BiH online magazine BUKA, published an interview with the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Majlinda Bregu talking about the economic situation in the region, brain-drain, corruption, unresolved issues, but also about opportunities and necessity of regional cooperation and common European future.


05 Feb 2019
Bregu: Practical and effective discussion on the need for credible regional cooperation news

Belgrade - Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu met with the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dačić, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Trade, Tourism and Telecommunications, Rasim Ljajić, and Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Veroljub Arsić. The new Regional Roaming Agreement ...


04 Feb 2019
Bregu: Mutual interests to lead the way on the Western Balkans’ European path news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu starts her official visit to Belgrade  Belgrade – At the beginning of the two-day official visit to Belgrade, the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu met with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, today.  Secretary General Bregu and President Vučić had a frank and constructive discussion on the ...


03 Feb 2019
Bregu: 2019 is “a year of delivery” - citizens of the Western Balkans expect more news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu in an official visit to Tirana  Tirana – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, was in an official visit to Tirana where she met with the President of Albania, Illir Meta, Minister of Finance and Economy, Anila Denaj, Minister of Education, Sport and Youth, Besa Shahini, Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, ...


31 Jan 2019
Domestic reforms and regional cooperation - the two preconditions for economic development of the region news

Brussels – Sustainable economic growth and development of the Western Balkans (WB) was in the focus of gathering of representatives of EU institutions, diplomatic missions, think tanks, non-governmental and business organizations, organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s (FES) EU Office, at the RCC Liaison Office in Brussels yesterday.  RCC ...


29 Jan 2019
RCC SG Bregu: European integration of Western Balkans is not a territorial, but transformational agenda news

Europe is a state of mind and empowered Western Balkans shall speak the language of unity among citizens  Vienna – “European integration of Western Balkans is not a territorial agenda. It is a transformational agenda, which in the broader orientation towards fundamental European values has worked. The EU has been the single most important leverage in the region to promote democracy, rule ...


24 Jan 2019
RCC: ‘Roam Like at Home’ speak more, pay less news

New Regional Roaming Agreement in the pipeline, start of reduction of costs by July 2019, leading to zero roaming cost by 2021 Brussels – The second round of negotiations on the new Regional Roaming Agreement (RRA2) for the Western Balkans (WB), organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), is being held in Brussels today.  Addressing the meeting participants, the RCC Secretary ...


22 Jan 2019
RCC’s Majlinda Bregu: Skopje gives a tailwind for the entire region news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu in an official visit to Skopje   Skopje – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, was in an official visit to Skopje in the past two days where she met with the President of the Assembly, Talat Dzaferi; Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs, Bujar Osmani; Deputy ...


21 Jan 2019
RCC Secretary General: Each negotiation is a story of impact and dialogue for individuals, communities and economies news

4 professions x 4 recognitions: Mutual recognition of four professional qualifications are on the way!  The 2nd round of negotiations on mutual recognition of professional qualifications in the Western Balkans (WB) for Doctors of Medicine, Dentists, Architects and Civil Engineers started in Skopje today.  The RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu underlined to the Lead Negotiators ...


18 Jan 2019
Secretary General Bregu: Inter-connected, we will push each other forward news

RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu pays visit to Pristina, meets top officials  Pristina – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, visited Pristina today and met with the Speaker of the Parliament Kadri Veseli, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Behgjet Pacolli, and Minister of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Besim Beqaj.  Regional ...


09 Jan 2019
RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu pays the first official visit to Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina news

Sarajevo – Majlinda Bregu, the new Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met with Sefik Dzaferovic, one of the three members of Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo today. This is the first meeting organised of envisaged tour of visits that RCC Secretary General will have with leadership of the South East Europe participants.  Secretary General Bregu thanked ...


04 Jan 2019
Statement of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Majlinda Bregu news

Beyond differences and geographical boundaries there lies a common interest!  Jean Monnet was firm in his conviction that the “European nations had to unite in order to survive”. The same holds true for Western Balkan’s. To maintain weight in a world that is changing fast, we need to leverage our relations. Cooperation is the crux of the matter.    I am honoured to assume ...


04 Jan 2019
Majlinda Bregu takes office as the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council news

Sarajevo – Mrs. Majlinda Bregu assumed her duties of the new Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) today, following the appointment by the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Foreign Ministers in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia on 23 April 2018. Bregu is an experienced Albanian politician and a strong believer in the European Union project.  Full biography ...


04 Dec 2018
Enlargement process, integration, transformation challenges - main topics of 19th edition of EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels news

Brussels – For the third year in a row the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) partnered with the Brussels-based think-tank Friends of Europe (FoE), with the support of the European Commission, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States European Command, in organizing the annual EU-Western Balkans Summit. This year’s 19th edition of the forum, under ...


15 Nov 2018
Svilanovic: Region’s economies need to improve legislation on capital markets, focusing on protection of investors news

RCC hosts Future of Regional Capital Markets panel at 17 Belgrade Stock Exchange Conference  Belgrade – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) hosted the panel: The Future of Regional Capital Markets as a partner of the 17th Conference of the Belgrade Stock Exchange ‘Upgrade in Belgrade 2018’ being held in Belgrade today.   Development and networking of capital markets in ...


18 Oct 2018
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 15 March – 15 October 2018.


18 Oct 2018
RCC Board meets for the 35th time news

Svilanovic: Regional cooperation leads to irreversible progress in EU and Euro-Atlantic integration and socio-economic recovery  Sarajevo – The Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) met for the 35th time at the organisations’ Secretariat in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina today.  Before moving to the formal meeting agenda the outgoing RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic ...


09 Oct 2018
RCC hosts the third meeting of MAP REA Coordinators from Western Balkan Six news

This is a critical moment for full implementation success of MAP REA Brussels – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) hosted the 3rd meeting of Coordinators of Multi-Annual Action Plan (MAP) on Regional Economic Area (REA) in Western Balkan Six (WB6), discussing the implementation results, next milestones, the most pressing challenges and reiterating commitments, in Brussels today.  Central ...


11 Jul 2018
RCC Secretary General takes part at the Western Balkans London Summit news

The Secretary General of the regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, took part at the Western Balkans (WB) Summit on 10 July in London. Svilanovic spoke to the EU and Western Balkan leaders about the need to do more on implementation of the RCC-prepared Multiannual Action Plan for Regional Economic Area (MAP REA). He stressed the importance to empower communication between Western ...


02 Jul 2018
Genoveva Ruiz Calavera: The RCC instrumental in facilitating co-operation bringing the Western Balkans closer to one another and to the EU news

Sarajevo – Genoveva Ruiz Calavera, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s (EC) Directorate-General for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR) visited the offices of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo today, as a part of her Western Balkans tour.  Director Ruiz Calavera was welcomed by the RCC staff led ...


12 Jun 2018
Statement by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic on the agreement announced by Prime Ministers Tsipras and Zaev news

  I would like to congratulate Prime Ministers Alexis Tsipras and Zoran Zaev on their dedication and true leadership for reaching the agreement. The agreement represents an encouragement for the entire region of South East Europe, and Western Balkans in particular, showing that the most difficult issues can be resolved if there is determination and vision of the better future.     This ...


12 Jun 2018
RCC Secretary General and BiH Foreign Minister meet to discuss BiH's SEECP C-i-O news

Banja Luka – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, met the Foreign Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Crnadak, in Banja Luka today.  The two officials discussed cooperation in the region, especially in light of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Chairmanship in Office (C-i-O) of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP), taken over from ...


17 May 2018
RCC at the Sofia Western Balkans Summit: Regional Cooperation Council proliferated regional cooperation across all sectors news

Sofia – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic, took part at the EU-Western Balkans Summit hosted by the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU, in Sofia today. The Summit is dedicated to strengthen links between the EU and the Western Balkans in infrastructure, digital and human connectivity. It brought together EU and WB leaders, as well as representatives ...


25 Apr 2018
Brussels: Bulgarian EU Presidency, RCC host conference on the Western Balkans’ European perspective news

Brussels - Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the European Union together with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) hosted a conference on the Western Balkans’ European perspective through growth, good governance and enhanced cooperation, in Brussels today. The Conference featured two panel discussions, the first one 'European perspective of the Western Balkans – state of play and potential ...


24 Apr 2018
SEECP Summit Participants praise work of RCC, thank outgoing and approve new Secretary General news

Brdo pri Kranju – The leaders of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) participants commended and congratulated the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), for serving as a sui generis organisation promoting regional cooperation in South East Europe, approving at the same time the appointment by the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Majlinda Bregu as Secretary General of the RCC, starting ...


23 Apr 2018
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2017-2018 report

This Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period 1 April 2017 – 15 March 2018. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


23 Apr 2018
South East European Foreign Ministers Appoint next RCC Secretary General news

Brdo pri Kranju - Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) appointed Majlinda Bregu as Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), starting on 1 January 2019 and of Igor Luksic as RCC Secretary General starting on January 2022, at their meeting held in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia, today. In this post, Bregu will succeed Goran Svilanovic, who ...


23 Apr 2018
RCC Annual Meeting endorses nomination of Majlinda Bregu as the next RCC Secretary General for the term 2019-2021 news

Brdo pri Kranju – The 10th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), held in Brdo pri Kranju today, endorsed the RCC Annual Report 2017/2018 and the nominations of Majlinda Bregu as the next RCC Secretary General for the term 2019-2021 and Igor Luksic for the term 2022-2024. The meeting, co-chaired by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic and Matej Marn, on behalf of the ...


18 Apr 2018
The first Western Balkans Digital Summit opens in Skopje news

Svilanovic: Digital transformation of society crucial for the region    Skopje – The first ever Western Balkans Digital Summit, bringing together Prime Ministers and Ministers responsible for digital agenda from the Western Balkans (WB), EU Berlin Process participants, European Commission (EC), Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), representatives of IT industries and businesses, academia, ...


17 Apr 2018
RCC, RAI sign memorandum of understanding, broadening cooperation between the two organisations news

Belgrade – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic and Chairperson of the Regional Anticorruption Initiative (RAI) Davor Dubravica signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on mutual cooperation between the RCC and RAI, on the margins of the RCC-organised Conference 'Countering online radicalization in the context of cyber security', in Belgrade on 17 April ...


20 Mar 2018
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 September - 31 December 2017 report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 September – 31 December 2017 .


16 Mar 2018
Svilanovic at the meeting of WB Foreign Ministers in Sarajevo: It is “action time” for the Western Balkans news

Sarajevo – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, takes part in the meeting of Western Balkans (WB) Six Foreign Ministers in Sarajevo today. The meeting is dedicated to the recently published EU’s  strategy on the enlargement perspective of the region, implementation of the Berlin Process’ 2017 Trieste Summit outcomes, and preparation of deliverables ...


15 Mar 2018
Regional Cooperation Council supports panel discussion of Silent Balkan Majority 'Tourism, culture and sport connect the region' news

 Svilanovic: Tolerant, forward looking people are the future of this region Jahorina/Sarajevo – Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic took part in the latest panel discussion of informal citizens' group from the Western Balkans „Silent Balkan Majority titled „Tourism, culture and sports connect the region“, as a part of the RCC’s support ...


15 Mar 2018
RCC Board meets for the 34th time news

RCC Secretary General Reports: Regional economic integration marked the last quarter of 2017 and continues to be the core of RCC's activities    Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic presented the Report on the organisation's activities in the last quarter of the past year at the first meeting of the Board of in 2018, held in Sarajevo ...


15 Mar 2018
RCC celebrates its 10th Birthday, awards EXIT as Champion of Regional Cooperation for 2017 news

Svilanovic: RCC today is a power-tool for regional cooperation and growth of South East Europe Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) marked its 10th birthday by presenting a brief overview of the past 10 years of the organisation’s activities to its partners, stakeholders and friends and awarding the EXIT Festival as Champion of Regional Cooperation  for 2017, ...


27 Feb 2018
10 years of Regional Cooperation Council news

With the region, for the region Sarajevo - Today the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) marks its 10 birthday. Our journey began on 27 February 2008 in Sofia at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), when the RCC was officially launched, as the SEECP operational arm, under which auspices it continues to operate.    RCC is an all-inclusive ...


30 Jan 2018
Second Meeting of MAP Coordinators and B2G Meeting on MAP takes place in Trieste news

Trieste – The second meeting of the Coordinators for the RCC’s Multi Action Plan (MAP) for a Regional Economic Area (REA) in the Western Balkans six (WB6) took place in Trieste today. The meeting provided an overview on the key developments in MAP implementation in each of the WB6 economies and defined clear deliverables/targets for the Sofia and London Summits this spring/summer.  The ...


18 Dec 2017
RCC Secretary General takes part the Berlin Process’s meeting of Western Balkans Sherpas news

Brussels – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, took part at the meeting of the Berlin process’ Sherpas, organized by the European Commission (EC), in Brussels today. The meeting focused on each of the Western Balkans (WB) economies’ reform measures in implementing the Multiannual Actin Plan (MAP) to create a Regional Economic Area in WB and the ...


05 Dec 2017
Challenges and Responses of the Western Balkans discussed at the Policy Summit in Brussels news

Svilanovic: The region has the action plan and has to remain committed to its implementation Brussels – The 18th edition of policy summit on the Western Balkans under the title: Western Balkans at a Crossroads: New Challenges, Changing Dynamics, organised by the leading Brussels-based think-tank Friends of Europe (FoE), with the support of the European Commission, Regional Cooperation Council ...


08 Nov 2017
South East European Military Intelligence Chiefs adopt OSINT assessment on Use of Social Media by Violent Extremists news

Budva –  Open-source intelligence (OSINT) assessment dedicated to ‘Use of Social Media by violent extremists' has been adopted by the South East European Military Intelligence Chiefs (SEEMIC) at their 9th Conference held on 7 November 2017 in Budva, Montenegro. The event was co-organised by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the Department for Military Intelligence and Security Affairs ...


30 Oct 2017
London: Western Balkans Summit 2018 and Berlin Process in focus of Svilanovic’s meeting with UK Foreign Office and Commonwealth Officials news

London – Goran Svilanovic, Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General met with UK’s Foreign Office and Commonwealth officials Fiona McIlwham, Peter Bainbridge, Director and Deputy Director of Western Balkans Department (EuD - WBD),  Andrew Page, Western Balkans Summit 2018 Coordinator and Andrew Staunton, Member of the core team for organisation of the Summit to discuss the ...


26 Oct 2017
RCC Secretary General discusses Western Balkans EU perspective with Bulgarian Foreign Minister in Sofia today news

Sofia – Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met with Ekaterina Zaharieva, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister for Judicial Reform and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Sofia today. Svilanovic and Zaharieva talked about the priorities of Bulgaria’s upcoming six-month Presidency of the Council of the European Union, starting on 1 January 2018.  Zaharieva ...


18 Oct 2017
REPORT ON THE ACTIVITIES OF THE REGIONAL COOPERATION COUNCIL SECRETARIAT FOR THE PERIOD 1 April – 31 August 2017 report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 April – 31 August 2017 .


18 Oct 2017
Svilanovic at RCC Board meeting: Our efforts were focused on areas where ambitions in the region have grown news

Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic presented the report on activities of the RCC Secretariat in the period 1 April – 31 August 2017 to the RCC Board at the meeting in Sarajevo today. The Board also heard the information and plans on the most important upcoming activities of the organisation, in particular those related to the implementation of ...


09 Oct 2017
BALKAN BAROMETER 2017: PUBLIC OPINION SURVEY survey

The 2017 edition of BALKAN BAROMETER (BB) is yet another instalment in the series of annual public opinion surveys commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council. It collects and analyses data across a host of thematic areas, examining aspirations and expectations of the region's populations and its business community on life and work, prevalent socio-economic and political trends as well as regional ...


09 Oct 2017
BALKAN BAROMETER 2017: BUSINESS OPINION SURVEY survey

The 2017 edition of BALKAN BAROMETER (BB) is yet another instalment in the series of annual public opinion surveys commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council. It collects and analyses data across a host of thematic areas, examining aspirations and expectations of the region's populations and its business community on life and work, prevalent socio-economic and political trends as well as regional ...


09 Oct 2017
BALKAN BAROMETER 2017 - INFOGRAPHICS survey

This publication features the prevailing issues of the Balkan Barometer (BB) 2017 survey through infographics. The 2017 edition of BB is yet another instalment in the series of annual public opinion surveys commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council. The entire BB survey is available at http://www.rcc.int/seeds


06 Oct 2017
RCC to present its Balkan Barometer 2017 – a perception survey of citizens and business communities on the situation in the region news

Brussels – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is to present its 3rd edition of the public and business opinion survey – Balkan Barometer 2017 in Brussels, Belgium, on 9 October 2017.  The launch, organised by the RCC in cooperation with European Policy Centre (EPC) – an independent think-thank, envisages presentation of key findings of the Balkan Barometer public and business opinion ...


20 Sep 2017
New York: RCC Secretary General hosts meeting of Western Balkans foreign ministers and EU’s Han, discussing Regional Economic Area news

New York – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Goran Svilanovic hosted an informal meeting of the Western Balkans foreign ministers, with the participation of the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy Johannes Hahn, organized on the margins of the 72nd Session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, in New York today. As this ...


12 Jul 2017
Multi-annual Action Plan for a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans Six meeting document

The leaders of Western Balkans Six (WB6) endorsed the Multi-annual Action Plan on a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans (MAP), prepared by the RCC, at the Berlin Process summit on 12 July 2017, in Trieste, Italy . The RCC has been tasked to monitor and inform on the progress achieved in MAP implementation.


12 Jul 2017
Trieste: Six Western Balkans leaders endorse Regional Economic Area news

RCC tasked to monitor and inform on the progress achieved in its implementation Trieste - The leaders of Western Balkans Six (WB6) endorsed the Multi-annual Action Plan on a Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans (MAP), at the summit in Trieste today. The MAP has been created to enable unobstructed flow of goods, services, capital and highly skilled labour, making the region more attractive ...


10 Jul 2017
Sarajevo: RCC at the Sixth Western Balkans Civil Society Forum news

Sarajevo – The Sixth Western Balkans Civil Society Forum, organised by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), opened in Sarajevo today.    “Strong, successful economies require strong and vibrant civil societies. Civil society must have a say for the reformation and development of our societies,” said RCC ...


05 Jul 2017
RCC: Svilanovic meets Bildt, Heisbourg, and Cooper in Sarajevo to discuss regional cooperation in context of European integration news

Sarajevo - Carl Bildt, former Swedish Prime Minister and Co-Chair of the European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR), François Heisbourg, Chair of the International Institute for Strategic Studies Council and Chairman of the foundation council of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, and Robert Cooper, Special Advisor at the European Commission, visited the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat ...


29 Jun 2017
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council 2016-2017 report

The Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


16 May 2017
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat for the period 1 January – 31 March 2017 report

The Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat is submitted by the RCC Secretary General to the RCC Board in line with Article 15 of the Statute of the RCC. It covers the period between 1 January and 31 March 2017.


16 May 2017
RCC Board accepts organisation’s Annual Report 2016 – 2017 news

The Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) 2016 – 2017 has been accepted by the organisation’s Board, at its 32nd meeting in Sarajevo today. “This Annual Report covers an important period for the RCC and its activities. We have completed the implementation of the previous Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) for 2014-2016 and transitioned to the new ...


08 May 2017
Goran Svilanovic presented with Dr Elemer Hantos Prize for promotion of economic cooperation in the region news

Belgrade – Charles Epping, President of The Central Europe Foundation (CEF), presented Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Dr Elemer Hatnos Prize as recognition of his efforts to promote regional economic cooperation in South East Europe at the award ceremony in Belgrade tonight.      “I am very flattered by the honour and trust CEF ...


10 Apr 2017
Germany continues its support to Regional Cooperation Council news

Sarajevo - The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat and the German Federal Foreign office (Auswärtige Amt) signed an agreement on financial grant to support RCC’s public awareness activities. The grant agreement of 100, 000 euro is to support RCC communication and public awareness activities in the course of 2017-’18. The agreement was signed by the RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic ...


20 Mar 2017
RCC presents its activities and core of regional cooperation in South East Europe to young diplomats news

Sandanski/Sarajevo - Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and Stefana Greavu, Head of RCC’s Political Department spoke today to young diplomats from all over South East Europe, at the 12th Winter School on Diplomacy, in Sandanski, Bulgaria. This year’s edition of the Winter School of Diplomacy was devoted to EU and NATO in South Eastern Europe and ...


17 Mar 2017
Western Balkans economies to work with Regional Cooperation Council and EU to further economic cooperation news

Sarajevo - At the meeting of six Western Balkans Prime Ministers with the European Commission and the European External Action Service in Sarajevo yesterday, the Prime Ministers reaffirmed their commitments on the EU accession path, took stock of the progress made thus far and set out preparations for the next summit hosted by Italy in Trieste on 12 July 2017.   The participants discussed ...


16 Mar 2017
Champion of Regional Cooperation Award presented to Sarajevo Film Festival news

Sarajevo – Sarajevo Film Festival (SFF) was officially presented with Champion of Regional Cooperation award in Sarajevo last night. Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) presented the Award to Mirsad Purivatra, Director of SFF thanking him for vision and commitment to promote art and culture within the South East Europe (SEE) and the SEE brand to ...


15 Mar 2017
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 September – 31 December 2016 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 15 March 2017.


15 Mar 2017
RCC Board meets in Sarajevo for 31st time news

Sarajevo – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board met for the first time in 2017 in Sarajevo today. The RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic presented the report on activities of the organization’s Secretariat in the period September-December 2016 and informed the Board on its key forthcoming  activities. "The goals at the centre of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme ...


03 Mar 2017
RCC presents its report on activities in countering radicalization and violent extremism to SEECP Foreign Ministers news

Zagreb/Sarajevo – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, presented the RCC’s report on activities in countering radicalization and violent extremism (CVE/FTF), at the informal meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the South - East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), in Zagreb today. The report, providing an overview of the year 2016, ...


17 Feb 2017
Svilanovic: We should turn to regional economic integration of the Western Balkans news

MUNICH/SARAJEVO – Perspectives of the South East European economies’ reform processes in light of the current dilemma whether or not they should be continued against the European Union accession background, was the topic elaborately discussed at the BMW Foundation Global Dialogue session held in Munich today. Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), ...


09 Feb 2017
RCC at the meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of the Western Balkans six in Skopje news

Svilanovic: RCC to contribute making the region prosperous and stable   SKOPJE/SARAJEVO, 9 February 2017 – “It is of paramount importance to ensure further progress and reforms in the region, as they are irreversible processes triggered by the EU accession aspirations. Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is looking forward to continuation of close cooperation with you in making this ...


07 Feb 2017
RCC Secretary General discusses organisation’s activities with EU officials in Brussels news

BRUSSELS/SARAJEVO, 7 February 2017 – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, was in a two-day visit to Brussels where he met with Thomas Mayr-Harting, Managing Director for Europe and Central Asia in the European External Action Service, and Christian Danielsson, Director General for Enlargement at the European Commission. Svilanovic also briefed the Committee ...


01 Jan 2017
Competitiveness information material

Brochure on RCC’s flagship ‘Competitiveness’, featuring goals, results, and actions of the organization in this area to be taken in the forthcoming period. The Regional Cooperation Council is working towards integration of the South East Europe market, making it more competitive on the global business scene, and generating more revenues and jobs


16 Dec 2016
Justice and Home Affairs discussed at EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum news

Brdo pri Kranju/Sarajevo - Efficiency and cooperation of judiciaries, operational cooperation in matters such as migration, border management and internal security, including counter-terrorism and firearms trafficking were the main topics discussed at the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs held under Slovak Presidency of the Council of the European Union in Brdo ...


13 Dec 2016
Erhard Busek visits RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo news

Evolved approach to regional cooperation in South East Europe discussed during the visit Sarajevo – Erhard Busek, former Special Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe, predecessor of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) visited RCC’s Secretariat in Sarajevo today. RCC team led by the Secretary General Goran Svilanovic welcomed Busek, presenting him the ...


08 Dec 2016
RCC Secretary General meets Croatian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs news

Hamburg/Sarajevo  - The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Republic of Croatia, Davor Ivo Stier on the margins of OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Hamburg, Germany today. The two officials discussed Croatian Chairmanship of the South East European Cooperation Process ...


07 Dec 2016
RCC’s Svilanovic at Brussels’ Balkans Summit: ‘Business as usual will not work’ news

The accession process should keep the region busy dealing with its development Sarajevo/Brussels – “When it comes to the enlargement, ‘business as usual’ is the only policy which will not work“, said Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, speaking at the panel ‘EU membership: the long road from vision to reality’ of the Balkans Summit in Brussels ...


01 Dec 2016
RCC's Goran Svilanovic awarded the 2016 Elemer Hantos Prize for promoting economic cooperation news

Sarajevo – The Central Europe Foundation (CEF) awarded Goran Svilanovic Dr Elemer Hantos Prize as a recognition of his efforts to promote cooperation in the region in his current capacity as Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), fully respecting Svilanovic’s previous activities as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and Montenegro (2000 to 2004), Chairman of the Working ...


10 Nov 2016
Balkan Barometer 2016, Infographics, pocket edition survey

Balkan Barometer 2016 edition is a comprehensive survey commissioned by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) on attitudes, experiences and perceptions of the general public and business community in South East Europe on various economic, social, political and cultural issues. It is an integral part of the annual monitoring process of the SEE2020 Strategy. Balkan Barometer pocket edition reveals the ...


12 Oct 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 April – 31 August 2016 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 12 October 2016


12 Oct 2016
Organisation’s results and upcoming activities in the focus of 30th RCC Board meeting news

Sarajevo, 12 October 2016 – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic presented to the RCC Board today the implementation and results of the RCC’s Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) 2014-2016, as well as how these feed into RCC’s next three-year strategy 2017-2019.  Result of regional activities: Up to 30% lower roaming costs for consumers in the region  “We ...


27 Sep 2016
RCC Secretary General meets U.S. State Department officials news

The state of play in regional cooperation and future RCC activities discussed at regular annual meetings in Washington D.C. Sarajevo/Washington – Interventions of Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE), with special emphasis on areas of governance, rule of law and security were discussed at the series of regular annual meetings of the organisation's ...


22 Sep 2016
Connection, Communication, Cooperation in South East Europe press release

These are the topics discussed at informal SEECP Foreign Affairs Ministers’ meeting in New York today  Sarajevo/New York - Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic attended the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), organized on the margins of the 71st Session of the United Nations ...


16 Sep 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 January - 31 March 2015 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 12 May 2015


16 Sep 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 April - 20 September 2015 agreement

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 15 October 2015


16 Sep 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 21 September - 31 December 2014 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 26 February 2015


16 Sep 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 April - 15 September 2014 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 15 October 2014


13 Sep 2016
Svilanovic at Milocer Development Forum: We at the RCC foster multi-dimensional approach to sustainable development news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic participated today at the regional Milocer Development Forum in Cetinje (Montenegro) where he presented some of the specific RCC contributions towards strengthening sustainable development in the region. Svilanovic also shared with the Forum participants some of the most important messages of this year’s RCC Balkan Barometer ...


02 Jun 2016
Svilanovic: Making sure that local administrations are well prepared for demanding EU accession process and membership, is our common objective news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, took part at the Enlargement Day, organised by the European Committee of the Regions in cooperation with DG Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations of the European Commission, in Brussels today. Speaking at the roundtable discussion on EU local and regional authorities experience in using structural and cohesion ...


31 May 2016
RCC embarks on new three-year working cycle as the Strategy and Work Programme for 2017-2019 gets endorsed at the organisation’s Annual Meeting press release

Pravets – The new three-year Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) was endorsed at the organisation’s ninth Annual meeting in Pravets (Bulgaria) today. The meeting, co-organized with the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office 2015-2016 of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) also endorsed the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General featuring the ...


31 May 2016
Strategy and Work Programme 2017-2019, 'Changing with the Region' report

The Strategy and Work Programme 2017-2019, 'Changing with the Region', of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat, endorsed at the RCC Annual Meeting, on 31 May 2016 in Pravets, Bulgaria, has been designed to respond to the needs of the region and add value to cooperation in South East Europe in the areas of joint interest. The Strategy and Work Programme outlines the organisation’s vision ...


31 May 2016
SEECP foreign ministers endorse the new RCC’s three-year Strategy and Work Programme news

Pravets, 31 May 2016 - Meeting in Pravets (Bulgaria) today, the foreign ministers of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) endorsed the Annual Report of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) 2015-2016 presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic, as well as the new three-year Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) of the RCC.  Speaking at today’s meeting, Goran Svilanovic ...


23 May 2016
RCC to present the new three-year strategy and work programme at its Annual meeting in Pravets, Bulgaria news

Sarajevo – The new three-year Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will be presented at the ninth Annual meeting of the organisation on 31 May 2016 in Pravets, Bulgaria. The meeting, co-organized with the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office 2015-2016 of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), is expected to endorse the RCC SWP together with the ...


13 May 2016
RCC Secretary General at the Forum of EU Strategy for Adriatic and Ionian Region news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, spoke today at the 1st Forum of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Svilanovic presented the implementation structure, and programing and monitoring processes, of the RCC’s South East Europe (SEE) 2020 development Strategy, but also spoke about the synergies between ...


11 May 2016
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on Regional Cooperation in South East Europe in 2015-2016 report

The Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) covers the period 1 April 2015 – 31 March 2016. It outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


11 May 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 January – 31 March 2016 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 11 May 2016


11 May 2016
RCC Board accepts the new three-year Strategy and Work Programme of the organization news

The new three-year Strategy and Work Programme (SWP) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has been accepted today by the organisation’s Board, at its meeting in Sarajevo. The RCC SWP refers to the period 2017 – 2019, and outlines the organisation’s vision and activities in the future period. The Board also accepted the Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council ...


27 Apr 2016
“EU incomplete without the Western Balkans” press release

Vienna/Sarajevo  – An impressive public panel hosted last night by Austrian Minister for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs, Sebastian Kurz,  rounded off a two day conference in Vienna called “Energizing the Enlargement Process by Solving Bilateral Disputes”. Set up by the European Fund for the Balkans (EFB) and supported by the Austrian and French Ministries for Foreign ...


06 Apr 2016
Continued German support for RCC activities news

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat and the German Federal Foreign office (Auswärtige Amt) signed an agreement today on a 50,000 euro grant to support RCC’s public awareness activities in 2016. The agreement was signed by the RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic and the German Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Hellbach. These funds, provided by the Federal ...


14 Mar 2016
RCC Secretary General speaks to young diplomats from South East Europe about region’s opportunities and challenges news

Sandanski/Sarajevo, 15th March 2016 - The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, spoke today to young diplomats from all over South East Europe, at the 11th Winter School on Diplomacy, in Sandanski, Bulgaria. The event, co-organized by the RCC, Bulgarian Chairmanship in Office of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEEPC), Bulgarian Diplomatic Institute, ...


09 Mar 2016
Svilanovic on regional economy - tough but with a glimmer of optimism news

Taking part in the 23rd  Kopaonik Business Forum yesterday, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic emphasised that it is impossible to overestimate the importance of regional cooperation and economic consolidation if South East Europe wants to remain competitive on its own, European and global markets. It is quite clear, said Svilanovic, “that European ...


26 Feb 2016
Sarajevo: RCC Board meets for the first time in 2016 news

The 28th meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board took place in Sarajevo today. RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, presented the activities of the RCC Secretariat since October 2015 and the Board accepted them. For the first time, the Board heard and discussed the outline of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme for 2017 – 2019, which is expected to be adopted later ...


16 Feb 2016
Political stability, growth and jobs – Svilanovic on strengthening the ties in the region news

The challenges but also  the opportunities for closer regional cooperation are aplenty in the year which just started, said Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic at today’s one day conference on “Balkan Partnership, strengthening the Region’s ties”, organised by the Friends of Europe in Brussels. Svilanovic said that the RCC is deeply engaged ...


03 Feb 2016
Report on the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat for the period 1 October – 31 December 2015 report

The Report was presented by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at the 28th RCC Board meeting held at the RCC Secretariat on 26 February 2016.


02 Feb 2016
SEECP ministers discuss migration issues press release

Sofia/Sarajevo, 2 February 2016 - “In this year, we will continue to see rising hopes for more progress on the European and Euro-Atlantic integration path of the South East European region”, said the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) at this morning’s informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South East Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP) held in Sofia.  The ...


18 Dec 2015
Regional Cooperation Day in Sarajevo: Strong debate about a tough year press release

Regional Cooperation Council organised a meeting of civil sector representatives from South East Europe economies and journalists from the region SARAJEVO, 18 December 2015 – Civil sector representatives from South East Europe economies and journalists from the region met today in Sarajevo to discuss the current and the next year within the Regional Cooperation Day organised by the Regional Cooperation ...


16 Dec 2015
RCC: Sarajevo to host Regional Cooperation Day press release

Sarajevo - Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is organising a gathering of representatives of civil society and media from the South East Europe region to mark the Regional Cooperation Day. The conference titled “End of a tough year, what will 2016 be like?” will be held on Friday, 18 December, starting at 09:00 a.m., at Gazi Husrev Bey’s Library, Gazi Husrev-begova No. 46, Sarajevo. ...


23 Nov 2015
SEECP Political Directors meet in Sofia news

Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic attended today’s meeting of Political Directors of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the first organised by the current Chair-in-Office, Bulgaria. Mr Svilanovic briefed the meeting on the most relevant RCC’s activities and outlined the focus for the forthcoming period – addressing pressing regional priorities ...


18 Nov 2015
RCC at the SEE Regional Conference: “Working Together Towards EU Accession” press release

Sarajevo, 18 November 2015 – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic highlighted regional cooperation as a key element in fostering reconciliation, good neighbourly relations, stability and prosperity in South East Europe (SEE). “It is also an EU membership pre-condition” said Svilanovic in his keynote speech at a two day regional conference on EU accession hosted ...


29 Oct 2015
Better cooperation between the RCC and the OSCE news

Vienna/Sarajevo, 29 October 2015 - Ways and means for better cooperation between the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) were discussed today at a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna. This was the first time that the RCC was addressing the Permanent Council jointly with the South-East European Cooperation Process ...


23 Oct 2015
Article by RCC Secretary General for Europe's World article

Europe's World, independent Europe-wide policy journal, published in its Autumn issue an article by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic, on EU enlargement.


16 Oct 2015
Job creation and dynamising economic life is crucial for the future of South East Europe (SEE) - Inter-parliamentary Conference in Sarajevo ends today news

Sarajevo, 15/16 October 2015 – A two day inter-parliamentary conference coorganised by the European Parliament, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina ended today in Sarajevo. It was attended by Members of the European Parliament and Members of Parliament  of EU Enlargement countries. Economic Governance and Job creation were the focus of the two ...


15 Oct 2015
Meeting of the Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in Sarajevo news

Sarajevo, 15 October 2015 – The 27th meeting of the RCC Board took place in Sarajevo today. RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, presented the activities of the RCC Secretariat between April and October 2015 and the Board accepted them. Particular attention was given to RCC’s engagement in those aspects of the Berlin Process which are in line with RCC’s mission and goals.  The Board ...


06 Oct 2015
Countering violent extremism in focus of RCC-State Department talks news

Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic and US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for European and Eurasian affairs, Hoyt Yee, met in Washington yesterday and exchanged views on the current political situation in Southeast Europe (SEE) and the state of the Euro-Atlantic integration process of the region. The two officials specifically looked at RCC’s ...


01 Oct 2015
RCC and regional issues discussed in New York press release

New York – Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, attended an informal meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Foreign Ministers Meeting yesterday in New York. The meeting was hosted by Daniel Mitov, Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and current Chair in Office (CiO) of the SEECP. Such meetings have become a regular feature on the ...


15 Sep 2015
Sofia: RCC at the conference on energy security and infrastructure in South East Europe news

Energy Security and Energy Infrastructure in South East Europe are the focus of a two-day conference that started in Sofia today, organised by the Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and opened by the Bulgarian Prime Minister, Boyko Borissov.   Keynote speeches were delivered by the Vice-President of the European Commission responsible ...


14 Sep 2015
Svilanovic officially signs Agreement on Assumption of Duties as RCC Secretary General in second term news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanović, signed the official Agreement on Assumption of Duties of the RCC Secretary General, for the period 1 January 2016 – 31 December 2018. On behalf of the Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the agreement was signed by the Bulgarian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Daniel Mitov. ...


11 Sep 2015
Article by RCC Secretary General for Montenegrin daily Vijesti article

Montenegrin daily Vijesti published on 11 September 2015, an article by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, on the recently held event in Ankara on connecting South East Europe businesses, co-organized by the RCC as a part of the B20 meeting of business people from G20 countries, which served as preparation for the next summit of the 20 most developed ...


11 Sep 2015
RCC Secretary General receives Swedish Ambassador to BiH news

Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, received today the Swedish Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Fredrik Schiller as well as the Head of Development Cooperation at the Swedish Embassy, Marie Bergstrom. The discussions focused on the activities of the RCC and on Swedish aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina.


10 Sep 2015
Interview by RCC Secretary General to Radio Free Europe interview

In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, spoke about the current refugee crisis, described as the largest since the World War II.


09 Sep 2015
RCC Secretary General visits Foreign Minister Crnadak news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, met today in Sarajevo with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Igor Crnadak. This was the first official visit by Mr. Svilanovic to the Bosnian Foreign Ministry since Mr. Crnadak was appointed in March 2015.  Mr. Svilanovic and Mr. Crnadak agreed on the necessity of boosting regional cooperation, ...


08 Sep 2015
Interview by RCC Secretary General to Serbian business magazine BizLife interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about bilateral issues in the region, political situation in SEE, RCC Balkan Barometer, Balkans EU aspirations, investment opportunities and common market, as well as about RCC’s activities in boosting economic development of the region and regional cooperation in general.


31 Aug 2015
Rama, Svilanovic and Vucic, tonight in regional TV Talk Show “Okruzenje” news

The margins of last Thursday’s Vienna summit of the WB6 leaders and the leaders of the Berlin Process countries and the EU, were rich with events in the days preceding and following the actual Summit. For the first time ever, Western Balkans Civil Society activists were included and had an opportunity to present themselves to their leaders and the civil society component will become a regular ...


25 Aug 2015
RCC at the Vienna WB summit press release

Sarajevo-Vienna, 25 August 2015 – West Balkan and EU leaders will gather in Vienna in the next two days for the continuation of the Berlin Process, widely perceived as an initiative to pursue the EU accession process of the region. The actual Summit and its political discussions will be held on August 27th accompanied by meeting of economic Ministers.  For the first time ever, West Balkan ...


19 Jun 2015
RCC Secretary General on the region’s economy news

The Bulgarian Chairmanship-in-Office of the South East European Cooperation Process (CiO SEECP) has kicked off its activities with the two-day event in Sofia focusing on the state of regional economy and ways to improve it. Taking part in today’s round table which gathered representatives of the SEE ministries of economy, the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), ...


10 Jun 2015
Svilanovic voices strong support for creation of youth exchange programme for the Western Balkans news

Speaking at the conference dedicated to strengthening intercultural youth exchange programmes in the Western Balkans in Sarajevo today, the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, expressed the strong support of the RCC for the initiative to create a youth exchange programme for the Western Balkans. The RCC Secretary General spoke of the necessity for ...


05 Jun 2015
RCC Secretary General briefs South East Europe’s Ambassadors accredited in Brussels to EU and NATO and EC Director General Christian Danielson news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic met today with the Ambassadors of SEECP participants accredited to EU and NATO in Brussels as well as with EC Director General Christian Danielsson. The Secretary General briefed the diplomats on the main developments in the regional cooperation in SEE. The focus of the briefing was on the most important activities ...


26 May 2015
SEECP summit approves appointment of Goran Svilanovic as RCC Secretary General press release

Tirana/Sarajevo, 26 May 2015 – Meeting in Tirana today, the participants of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) summit approved the appointment of Goran Svilanovic for a second three year term as the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General. The Declaration adopted at the Summit also endorses the RCC’s Annual Report.  The summit host, Albanian President ...


26 May 2015
Interview with Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General : “I am an optimist because of Western Balkan's strong desire to be a part of the EU family of nations" interview

RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, on achievements and future plans of the Secretariat.


22 May 2015
RCC Annual Meeting and presentation of the SEE Development Scoreboard press release

Tirana/Sarajevo - The RCC’s (Regional Cooperation Council) Annual Meeting in Tirana today heard a strong endorsement of the organisation’s efforts in fostering economic recovery and speeding up the European integration process of the region. The meeting’s host, Albanian Foreign Minister and Chair in Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Ditmir Bushati, said the RCC ...


22 May 2015
SEECP Foreign Ministers appoint Goran Svilanovic as RCC Secretary General for a second 3 year term news

Meeting in Tirana today, the Foreign ministers of the South- East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) unanimously appointed Goran Svilanovic for a second term as the Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General. The ministers also adopted the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General on regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE). Earlier in the day, The RCC’s Annual Meeting ...


18 May 2015
RCC to present South East Europe Development Scoreboard press release

SARAJEVO, 18 May 2015 – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat will officially launch and present the South East Europe Development Scoreboard (SEEDS) on the sidelines of its Annual Meeting, on the 22nd of May 2015 in Tirana, Albania. SEEDS is a comprehensive but simple web-based platform which enables any user to monitor the implementation of the region’s development strategy ...


12 May 2015
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on Regional Cooperation in South East Europe in 2014-2015 report

The report covers the period April 2014-March 2015 and outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


12 May 2015
RCC Board endorses renewal of mandate for RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic news

The Board of the Regional Cooperation council met in Sarajevo today ahead of the Annual meeting which will take place in Tirana, later this month. The Board was presented with the Annual Report on regional cooperation in South East Europe which was accepted. The Board also accepted the Report of the Secretary General and the RCC Secretariat for the first trimester of this year. The Board also endorsed ...


08 May 2015
RCC Secretary General briefs Austrian parliamentarians on the SEE2020 Strategy news

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, briefed Austrian parliamentarians today on the implementation of the SEE2020 Strategy, RCC’s primary instrument for boosting growth and jobs in the region’s economies. Mr Svilanovic was taking part in a parliamentary hearing on the future Austrian regional cooperation strategy for the Danube Region and Western Balkans ...


06 May 2015
Regional Cooperation Day in Brussels press release

Sarajevo/Brussels – The Regional Cooperation Day continued in Brussels with a High Level Conference on cooperation and enlargement in the Western Balkans which included Albanian Foreign Minister, Ditmir Bushati, the EU Commissioner for European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, the Head of the Representation of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Johannes Jung and the RCC ...


06 May 2015
Regional Cooperation Day ends in Brussels news

The Regional Cooperation Day concluded in Brussels with closing remarks by Igor Luksic, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro, MEP Andrej Plenkovic, Vice Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and Andreas Brandstaetter from the Austrian Foreign Ministry. Two panel discussions in the afternoon dealt with enlargement, economic growth and governance as well as ...


09 Apr 2015
Germany continues to support RCC’s activities press release

Sarajevo - Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat (RCC) and H.E. Dr Christian Hellbach, German Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, signed an agreement with which the Federal Republic of Germany continues its support of the RCC.   This is the seventh consecutive year that the FR Germany is backing RCC’s activities with a 50.000 Euro grant ...


09 Feb 2015
Svilanovic: Unemployment – Problem number 1 in the region news

“It’s a great pleasure to be with you here in Tirana to discuss the South East Europe (SEE) 2020 strategy and the main developments in the past year” said Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at the conference dedicated to the monitoring and implementation of RCC’s development strategy for SEE. Svilanovic said that Albania was one of the countries ...


06 Feb 2015
EU continues to support regional cooperation aimed at wellbeing of citizens news

The European Commission will continue to strongly support the activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) to enhance regional cooperation and promote European integration in South East Europe (SEE). This was confirmed during constructive meeting between RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic and the Commissioner for the European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn, ...


11 Dec 2014
Article/audio recording by Radio Funkhaus Europa featuring Regional Cooperation Council article

The article/audio recording features RCC past and future activites.


11 Dec 2014
RCC Secretary General meets SEECP Troika news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, met today in Sarajevo with the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Troika (The “Troika” consists of the previous, current and next Chair in office of the SEECP, in this case - Romania, Albania and Bulgaria). The Secretary General informed the Troika on what the RCC has achieved so far in implementing ...


10 Dec 2014
A kick-start to stalled accession? news

Brussels, 9 December 2014: Balkan revival was the topic in Brussels’s Cercle Gaulois grand hall yesterday with Friends of Europe as the host. Guest speakers included the Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, MEPs Eduard Kukan and Andrej Plenkovic, the foreign minister of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Nikola Poposki, Director General for Enlargement in the European Commission Christian Danielsson ...


09 Dec 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian daily Politika interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about the EU prospects of the region.


28 Nov 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH weekly Dani interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about the current momentum in the region, explains why he thinks BiH will make significant steps forward in 2015, presents the SEE 2020 Strategy for employment, and explains why he brings Nusic’s play ‘Gospodja Ministarka’ to the citizens of Sarajevo.


10 Nov 2014
RCC at the Launch of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region news

Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic is to speak at the Conference launching the European Union’s (EU) Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in Brussels on 18 November 2014. Svilanovic is to take part as a key note speaker at the "All aboard for an EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region" panel debate discussing benefits ...


23 Oct 2014
Svilanovic: Strong and vibrant regional economies crucial for EU integration press release

Belgrade, 23 October 23, 2014 – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, pointed out today that even though political stability, reconciliation and security are still crucial activities for the RCC, the region as a whole needs to focus on sustainable development and growth.  Speaking at the WB6 Meeting on Economic Governance and Connectivity ...


23 Oct 2014
The address of Secretary General of the RCC, Goran Svilanovic, at the WB6 Meeting in Belgrade speech

The speech was delivered at the WB6 Meeting in Belgrade – Economic Governance and Connectivity


01 Sep 2014
Berlin conference confirms importance of regional cooperation news

Last week’s conference in Berlin, hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, ushered in a new phase of EU accession for the Western Balkans countries, one in which the goals and targets are more clearly defined and assorted in an ongoing process which will be hosted by Austria and then France in the coming years. The Final Declaration by the Chair of the Conference underlined the importance ...


28 Aug 2014
RCC Secretary General attends Western Balkans conference in Berlin news

BERLIN – At the initiative of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and hosted by Vice Chancellor and Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy, Sigmar Gabriel,  a discussion on economic potentials and prospects of the Western Balkans kicked off the Western Balkans summit in Berlin. The main motto of this conference was “Through trade, investment and regional cooperation to new dynamics” ...


11 Jul 2014
Interview by Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council to ONASA news Agency interview

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanovic speaks about SEE 2020 Strategy, regional relations, RCC plans and activities in the interview to ONASA Agency


20 Jun 2014
RCC at the meeting of the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, participated in the formal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Southeast Europe Cooperation Process (SEECP), in Bucharest today. The Ministers approved the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General 2013/2014. The report covers the period April 2013 – April 2014. It outlines main RCC activities ...


19 Jun 2014
Regional Cooperation Council holds Annual Meeting press release

BUCHAREST – The 6th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) took place in Bucharest today. The meeting endorsed the report of the RCC Secretary General on Regional Cooperation in South East Europe (SEE) 2013-2014 and assessed the implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011 – 2013. The RCC Annual meeting, co-chaired by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic ...


19 Jun 2014
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on regional cooperation in South East Europe in 2013-2014 report

The report covers the period April 2013-April 2014 and outlines main RCC activities and achievements in the past year. It also lays out the overall background and crucial developments impacting and shaping the activities of the RCC and the region of South East Europe in the reporting period.


06 Jun 2014
RCC to Present its Annual Report and SEE 2020 Scoreboard on 19 June 2014 in Bucharest press release

SARAJEVO – The 6th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will be held in Bucharest, Romania, on 19 June 2014. It is expected to endorse the report of the RCC Secretary General on Regional Cooperation in South East Europe (SEE) 2013-2014, and to assess the implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011 – 2013. The Annual meeting will be preceded by the First ...


31 May 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Turkish Anadolu Agency interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about the RCC’s activities and their focus on economy issues.


19 May 2014
RCC calls EU for continuation of urgent assistance to flood-affected countries in the region press release

BRUSSELS/SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, asked for continuation of EU assistance to flood-affected countries in the region, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, during his meeting with the European Union's Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, in Brussels today. ...


15 May 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian daily Danas interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about Serbian Prime Minister, Aleksandar Vucic's, visit to Sarajevo


14 May 2014
President of Montenegro Filip Vujanović meets with RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanović in Sarajevo press release

SARAJEVO – Goran Svilanović, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s Secretary General, met with Filip Vujanović, President of Montenegro, at the organisation’s Secretariat in Sarajevo today. During the meeting Svilanović stressed importance of strong support of the region’s officials to regional cooperation, underlining their commitment and devotion to implementation of the RCC’s ...


14 May 2014
Address by the RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, at the Sarajevo Business Forum speech

The speech was delivered at the event organized in cooperation with the RCC Secretariat, on 14 May 2014, within the panel “Regional investments and business guidelines”, chaired by the RCC Secretary General


13 May 2014
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic visits Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat press release

SARAJEVO – Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretary General Goran Svilanovic welcomed Serbian delegation led by the Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic at the RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo today. While congratulating Prime Minister Vucic on the appointment and the new mandate of his Government, Secretary General Svilanovic highlighted the importance of the Government’s continued commitment ...


01 May 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian Magazine CorD interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General is speaking about the RCC’s SEE 2020 Strategy, organisation's priorities, economic situation in SEE and regional cooperation.


24 Apr 2014
Regional Cooperation Council Board accepts the organisation’s Annual Report press release

SARAJEVO, 24 April 2014 – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board accepted the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General on regional cooperation in South East Europe in the period 2013-2014 at its 23rd meeting held in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, today. “The year behind us was a challenging one”, said Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, adding that “the consequences ...


15 Apr 2014
Public Policy Masters Students from Hague visit RCC Secretariat news

Regional Cooperation Council’s (RCC) Secretariat hosted a group of 26 students and professors from the Erasmus Mundus Masters Programme in Public Policy (Mundus MAPP) from Hague, Netherlands today. The Mundus MAPP delegation was welcomed by the RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, who explained the RCC’s nature and mandate through an interactive presentation, followed by an extensive dialogue ...


27 Mar 2014
Germany supports RCC’s public awareness activities with 50,000 euro grant news

Agreement on 50,000 euro grant to support public awareness activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in 2014 was signed by the RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic and German Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ulrike Knotz in Sarajevo today. The contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany is to be used for communications and raising public awareness activities ...


18 Mar 2014
Address by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, at the conference ‘Enhancing Growth through Regional Action – South East Europe 2020’ speech

The speech was delivered at the event marking the completion of project Improving Cooperation in South-East Europe by Actions for Strengthening the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), organised by CEI and the RCC Secretariat.


02 Mar 2014
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH news agency FENA interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about the new approach of the European Union towards the countries in the region, RCC’s South East Europe (SEE) 2020 strategy, and social protests.


27 Feb 2014
Regional Cooperation Council presents Champion of Regional Cooperation award for 2013, marks 6th anniversary press release

SARAJEVO – On the occasion of today’s sixth anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), the organization’s Secretary General Goran Svilanovic presented the South East European Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (SEECEL) with the Champion of Regional Cooperation award for 2013. The award was handed to Efka Heder, SEECEL Director. “The SEECEL has been awarded for its active ...


27 Feb 2014
Article by BiH news agency FENA featuring Regional Cooperation Council article

The article was published on the occasion of Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)'s sixth anniversary, on 27 February 2014.


27 Feb 2014
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 1 October to 31 December 2013.


24 Feb 2014
Address by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, at EBRD high-level meeting on investing in the Western Balkans speech

The Speech was delivered at the conference “Investing in the Western Balkans”, hosted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, in London on 24 February 2014


27 Jan 2014
Article by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, featuring RCC’s SEE 2020 strategy article

The author article by the RCC Secretary General, has been published by 9 dailies from the region: in Politika (Serbia, published on 24 January 2014); Dnevni avaz, Nezavisne novine and Vecernji list (Bosnia and Herzegovina, published on 22 January 2014); Vijesti (Montenegro, published on 20 January 2014); Mapo (Albania, published on 17 January 2014); Jutarnji list (Croatia, published on 17 January 2014); ...


21 Jan 2014
Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General congratulates Serbia on opening accession talks with European Union press release

SARAJEVO – Goran Svilanovic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), congratulated Serbia for opening negotiations for a European Union (EU) membership today. “This is a great day for Serbia as its European perspective has now been fully set on track. This is also a great moment for the entire region, as it sends a message that hard work, perseverance and courage pay ...


18 Dec 2013
Svilanović via Twitter: SEE 2020 strategy dependable mechanism of regional economic growth press release

SARAJEVO – The region of South East Europe (SEE) may progress only if we work together diligently on transforming our economies into more open, competitive and interconnected ones, said the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Goran Svilanović in his first Twitter interview with the regional press on Wednesday. Svilanović presented ambitious goals set by the recently adopted ...


12 Dec 2013
Panel debate on online media regulation in South East Europe to be held in Belgrade tomorrow press release

SARAJEVO/BELGRADE – A panel debate on findings of the Academy on Media Law in South East Europe[1]: Online media regulation – Where does regulation end and overregulation start? will take place in Belgrade, tomorrow, 13 December. The debate is a follow up to the second edition of the Academy on Media Law in South East Europe, held in Sarajevo, on 3-5 September 2013. During the three days of ...


21 Nov 2013
South East Europe 2020 strategy report

The goal of the South East Europe (SEE) 2020 strategy of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), is to improve living conditions in the region and bring competitiveness and development back in focus, closely following the vision of the EU strategy Europe 2020. It stresses out the shared vision of the SEE economies to open up to 1 million new jobs by 2020, by enabling employment growth from 39% to 44%, ...


21 Nov 2013
Address by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, at the South East Europe Investment Committee Ministerial Conference speech

The opening address has been delivered at the conference held on 21 November 2013.


25 Oct 2013
Address by Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, at Western Balkans Regional Research and Development Strategy for Innovation Ministerial meeting speech

The Secretary General of the RCC delivered the address at the Western Balkans Regional Research and Development Strategy for Innovation Ministerial meeting in Zagreb, Croatia on 25 October 2013


02 Oct 2013
Article by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to The Parliament Magazine article

In the article, the RCC Secretary General writes about regional challenges and economic cooperation in South East Europe (SEE), featuring RCC’s SEE 2020 strategy.


02 Oct 2013
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 24 April to 20 September 2013, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


24 Sep 2013
Article by Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, to World Commerce Review article

In the article, the RCC Secretary General is commenting regional cooperation in South East Europe and RCC’s role in that context, especially in relation to the preparation of the SEE 2020 strategy.


05 Sep 2013
Address by Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, at the 2nd Academy on Media Law in South East Europe speech

The Secretary General of the RCC delivered the address at the closing of the Academy on Media Law in South East Europe, in Sarajevo on 5 September 2013.


21 Jul 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian news agency Tanjug interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General is speaking about the situation in Serbia, Belgrade-Prishtina relations, and regional cooperation.


18 Jul 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian weekly Nin interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about Serbia’s EU integration, Belgrade-Prishtina agreement, impacts of Croatia’s EU entry, regional cooperation, and main goals of South East Europe (SEE) 2020 growth strategy.


29 Jun 2013
Article by RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic to Al Jazeera article

The article, published at the portal of Al Jazeera Balkans, is a commentary of Croatia’s entry into the EU.


27 Jun 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Bosnia and Herzegovina daily Oslobodjenje interview

The RCC Secretary General talks about political situation in South East Europe, regional cooperation and the RCC role, especially in relation to the SEE 2020 growth strategy.


26 Jun 2013
Article by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian daily Danas article

The article discusses regional cooperation, EU integration, SEE 2020 and Serbia in this context.


17 Jun 2013
RCC Secretary General briefs diplomats in Sarajevo of results of the organization's 5th Annual Meeting news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Goran Svilanovic, briefed today the diplomatic community in Sarajevo of results in implementing the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, the outcome of the RCC Annual Meeting held in Ohrid last month, and the state of regional cooperation in South East Europe. Secretary General Svilanovic informed that participants of the ...


31 May 2013
South East European ministers of foreign affairs express support to RCC work, hail its SEE 2020 growth strategy press release

OHRID/SARAJEVO – Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) approved in Ohrid today the annual report of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General and the organization’s work programme for 2014-2016, focused on SEE 2020 – a Job-Creating Growth and EU Integration Strategy. The Ministers stressed importance of the RCC and praised its ...


31 May 2013
Address by RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanović at the meeting of SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs speech

The address was delivered in Ohrid on 31 May 2013.


30 May 2013
Regional Cooperation Council key forum for all-inclusive regional cooperation in South East Europe, say organization’s participants press release

OHRID/SARAJEVO – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) is a key forum for inclusive regional cooperation in South East Europe, participants of the 5th Annual Meeting of the organization agreed in Ohrid today, while endorsing its new strategy for the 2014-2016 period and the annual report of the RCC Secretary General. Presenting the report and the strategy, Goran Svilanović, RCC Secretary General, ...


30 May 2013
Annual Meeting endorsed new Regional Cooperation Council strategy and annual report press release

OHRID/SARAJEVO – The 5th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) endorsed the organization’s new strategy for the 2014-2016 period and the Annual Report of the RCC Secretary General. The meeting was held in Ohrid on 30th May 2013. The event, co-chaired by the RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic and Foreign Minister Nikola Poposki, on behalf of the chair of the South-East ...


30 May 2013
Strategy and Work Programme of the Regional Cooperation Council for 2014-2016 report

The strategy was adopted by the RCC Board on 25 April 2013 in Sarajevo and endorsed by the participants of the RCC Annual Meeting, on 30 May 2013 in Ohrid.


30 May 2013
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on regional cooperation in South East Europe in 2012-2013 report

The report, endorsed by the participants of the RCC Annual Meeting, on 30 May 2013 in Ohrid, covers the period May 2012 – April 2013.


30 May 2013
Strategy and Work Programme of the Regional Cooperation Council for 2014-2016 report

The strategy was adopted by the RCC Board on 25 April 2013 in Sarajevo and endorsed by the participants of the RCC Annual Meeting, on 30 May 2013 in Ohrid.


30 May 2013
Address by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic, at the fifth RCC Annual Meeting speech

The fifth RCC Annual Meeting was held on 30 May 2013 in Ohrid.


16 May 2013
Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General meets chief executive of Vienna Economic Forum news

Goran Svilanovic, Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, met today with Ambassador Elena Kirtcheva, Secretary General of the Vienna Economic Forum (VEF), at the premises of the RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo. The two officials discussed political and economic situation in South East Europe, as well as ways to improve cooperation between the two institutions. In this context, Ambassador ...


02 May 2013
Address by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting speech

The Permanent Council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), was held in Vienna, on 2 May 2013. The document containing RCC Secretary General’s address also includes links to available responses by the missions to OSCE.


25 Apr 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian weekly Novi magazin interview

In the interview RCC Secretary General speaks about Belgrade-Prishtina agreement, RCC activities and South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Strategy.


25 Apr 2013
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 18 February to 10 April 2013, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


25 Apr 2013
Statute of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) declaration/decision

As amended by the RCC Board on 25 April 2013


25 Apr 2013
Regional Cooperation Council Board adopts the organization’s new three-year strategy and work programme news

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board adopted today the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2014-2016, centred around implementation of the South East Europe 2020 (SEE 2020) strategy, as the organization's contribution to overcoming economic crisis in the region. "The main goal of SEE 2020 is economic and social growth in the region: employment growth by 12%, increase in mutual trade ...


22 Apr 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian monthly Kurir Go International interview

In the interview, RCC Secretary General speaks about importance of regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE), RCC activities and preparation of SEE 2020 Strategy.


22 Apr 2013
Germany supports work of RCC Secretariat with a 50,000 euro grant news

A 50,000 euro grant agreement supporting activities of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in 2013 was signed by Goran Svilanovic, RCC Secretary General, and Ulrike Knotz, German Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Sarajevo today. The contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany will be used to increase awareness about the RCC Secretariat’s work, primarily through organization ...


18 Mar 2013
South East Europe 2020 growth strategy in focus of regional meeting, to be held in Sarajevo tomorrow, under RCC auspices press release

SARAJEVO, 18 March 2013 – Development of the South East Europe (SEE) 2020 regional growth strategy and its implementation will be the main topics of the 12th South East Europe Investment Committee (SEEIC) Meeting, which will be held in Sarajevo tomorrow. The SEE 2020 targets that the region needs to reach by 2020 include: regional GDP increase from 38% to 46% of EU average; total value of ...


13 Mar 2013
Statement by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH news agency Fena interview

Secretary General Svilanovic talks about opportunities for the region under the new EU Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA II).


11 Mar 2013
Seven German ambassadors from Western Balkans and foreign ministry discuss regional issues, express support to RCC work press release

SARAJEVO, 11 March 2013 – Ambassadors of Germany in Belgrade, Podgorica, Prishtina, Sarajevo, Skopje and Tirana, accompanied by colleagues from the foreign ministry, discussed political situation in Western Balkans and the region’s European perspective during a visit to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo today. The ambassadors gave full support to RCC efforts in ...


08 Mar 2013
Address by RCC Secretary General Goran Svilanovic at a meeting of the European Association of Public Service Media in South East Europe speech

The meeting was hosted by Radio-Television Slovenia, in Ljubljana, on 8 March 2013.


28 Feb 2013
Participants of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) declaration/decision

As amended by the RCC Board on 28 February 2013


28 Feb 2013
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 8 October 2012 to 15 February 2013, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013


28 Feb 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Croatian public broadcaster HRT interview

The interview has been broadcasted in HRT's magazine ‘Horizonti’ on 27 February 2013.


28 Feb 2013
Regional Cooperation Council Board amends statutory documents to reflect EU-mediated agreement on Kosovo* regional representation news

At its first meeting in 2013, the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board decided to amend the statute and the list of participants of the organization, reflecting the results of the EU-mediated dialogue between Belgrade and Prishtina. “The participation of Kosovo* in the Regional Cooperation Council is a confirmation of the organization’s full dedication to ensuring all-inclusiveness in ...


27 Feb 2013
Address by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanović, at a panel discussion marking the 5th RCC anniversary speech

A panel discussion ‘Five years of Regional Cooperation Council: Building on foundations and embracing new challenges’, was a central element which marked the fifth anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), in Sarajevo on 27 February 2013.


27 Feb 2013
Foreign Minister Poposki visits RCC Secretariat, backs organization’s goals and activities news

The current Chair-in-Office of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Poposki, paid a visit to the RCC Secretariat today to express support to the activities of the organization and congratulate Secretary General Goran Svilanovic on his recent appointment to the post. The SEECP Chair underlined ...


18 Feb 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Beta news agency and EurActiv Serbia portal interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about development of South East Europe 2020 Strategy, activities of the RCC, region’s EU integration processes, neighbourly relations and cooperation in the region, visa-free regime for Western Balkans, etc.


18 Feb 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Serbian daily Blic interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General speaks about objectives of the South East Europe 2020 Strategy, current relations in the region, and his meetings with Serbia’s top officials in Belgrade last week.


02 Feb 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH daily Dnevni avaz interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General speaks about South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Strategy, economic situation in SEE, priorities of RCC in its activity areas, region’s EU bids, etc.


31 Jan 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s TV1 interview

In the interview, broadcasted on TV1’s central newscast on 31 January 2013, the RCC Secretary General speaks about priorities of the organisation in the future period, importance of regional cooperation in Western Balkans’ EU accession process, RCC projects, etc.


31 Jan 2013
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH public broadcaster BHT1 interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General speaks about the future priorities of the organisation, regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE), SEE 2020 Strategy, etc. The interview was broadcasted on BHT1’s central newscast on 31 January 2013.


31 Jan 2013
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH News Agency SRNA interview

In the focus of the RCC Secretary General’s interview to SRNA, published yesterday, is South East Europe 2020 (SEE 2020) Strategy.


31 Jan 2013
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Goran Svilanovic, to BiH News Agency FENA interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General talks about current state of regional cooperation, EU integration, dangers of abolishment of visa-free regime for the Balkan countries and the priorities in the RCC work.


08 Jan 2013
New Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council takes up post press release

SARAJEVO – Goran Svilanović, the new Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), has assumed his duties in Sarajevo today. A Serbian diplomat and politician, Svilanović previously served as Co-ordinator of the OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (2008-2012). In 2004, he became Chairman of Working Table I (democratization and human rights) of the Stability Pact for ...


01 Jan 2013
Secretary General page

RCC Secretary General, Majlinda Bregu (Photo: Armand Habazaj) Majlinda Bregu took office as the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on 1 January 2019, following her appointment by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) at the meeting held on 23 April in Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia. Biography Mrs. ...


10 Dec 2012
Regional Cooperation Council wins award for extraordinary contribution to humanism press release

SARAJEVO – The International Peace Centre Sarajevo (IPC) assigned its traditional Sloboda (Freedom) award to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) for an extraordinary contribution to humanism, fight for human rights and freedom in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Europe and the world. The RCC has been honoured on the occasion of the International Human Rights Day, marked today. The IPC has traditionally assigned ...


09 Nov 2012
Address by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the South East Europe Investment Committee Ministerial Conference speech

The address was delivered at the conference held in Tirana, Albania, on 9 November 2012.


04 Nov 2012
Interview by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to BiH news agency FENA interview

In the interview, published on 4 November 2012, the RCC Secretary General speaks about regional cooperation in South East Europe following the recent European Commission’s 2012 Enlargement Package.


29 Oct 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, at a conference on financing digitalization in Eastern Europe speech

The address was delivered at a conference on financing digitalization in Eastern Europe, ‘The Challenge for Public Service Broadcasters’, held in Vienna, Austria, on 29 October 2012.


18 Oct 2012
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 4 May to 5 October 2012, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


18 Oct 2012
Regional Cooperation Council Board discusses state of cooperation in South East Europe, thanks outgoing Secretary General Biscevic news

The last meeting in 2012 of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board heard today a report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic on activities of the organization’s Secretariat in the period May-October 2012, primarily in relation to results achieved in the implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, as well as information on the future plans. “As ...


17 Oct 2012
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to Anadolu Agency interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General speaks about visa and enlargement issues in the Western Balkans.


30 Sep 2012
Article by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, to World Commerce Review article

The article, published in the September 2012 issue of the World Commerce Review, focuses on regional cooperation and development potentials in South East Europe.


27 Sep 2012
As South East European ministers discuss measures to consolidate cooperation, RCC Secretary General Biscevic is awarded Bulgarian Golden Laurel medal news

The current state of affairs in South East Europe, broadened cooperation in the context of EU enlargement and steps to further enhance and consolidate regional cooperation topped the agenda of an informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the participating States of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), held in New York today, with participation of Hido Biscevic, Regional ...


20 Sep 2012
Opening address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the 3rd Road Congress in South East Europe agreement

The event, co-organized by the Association of Consulting Engineers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ACE BiH) and the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat, with support of the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, took place on 20-21 September in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


12 Sep 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, at the third meeting of ISIS Programme Governing Body speech

The third Governing Body meeting of the Implementation of Single European Sky (ISIS) Programme in South East Europe, which took place in Ohrid on 12 September 2012, was co-organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat and the European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport.


05 Jul 2012
Commentary by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to BiH news agency FENA interview

The RCC Secretary General comments regional cooperation and EU integration process in South East Europe.


24 Jun 2012
Interview by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to BiH news agency FENA interview

In the interview, published on 24 June 2012, the RCC Secretary General speaks about the issues in the region and current political and economic situation that affects South East Europe.


22 Jun 2012
RCC briefs diplomats in Sarajevo of results of its 4th Annual Meeting news

The Secretariat of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) briefed today the diplomatic community in Sarajevo of results of the 4th Annual Meeting of the organization and the related South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) events, held in Belgrade last week. RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic informed that the organization’s members emphasized the crucial RCC role in boosting cooperation ...


20 Jun 2012
Interview by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to SensServis interview

In the interview the RCC Secretary General speaks about the organisation’s Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, RCC achievements and future challenges.


20 Jun 2012
Germany grants 50,000 euro to support work of RCC Secretariat news

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, and German Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ulrike Knotz, signed in Sarajevo today a 50,000 euro grant agreement in support of the work of the RCC Secretariat in 2012. The agreement entails a contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany to RCC Secretariat’s communication activities. It will be used for media ...


15 Jun 2012
South East European Heads of State and Government praise RCC work, thank outgoing and approve of new Secretary General press release

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO, 15 June 2012 – The Heads of State and Government of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) praised in Belgrade today the achievements of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and its Secretary General Hido Bisevic, approving at the same time of the election of his successor Goran Svilanovic. They expressed gratitude for the valuable efforts of the first and outgoing ...


14 Jun 2012
South East European foreign ministers appoint Goran Svilanović as the new Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council press release

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO – Goran Svilanović has been appointed the new Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) by the ministers of foreign affairs of the states participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), at their meeting held in Belgrade today. The appointment is effective as of 1 January 2013 for the period of three years. In this post, Goran Svilanović ...


14 Jun 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic at the meeting of SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs speech

The address was delivered in Belgrade, Serbia, on 14 June 2012.


13 Jun 2012
Annual Meeting endorses RCC annual report and nomination of new Secretary General press release

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO – The 4th Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) endorsed in Belgrade today the Annual Report of the organization’s Secretary General and the nomination of Goran Svilanovic as the next RCC Secretary General for a three-year period, effective as of 1 January 2013. The meeting, co-chaired by the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and Serbian Foreign Ministry ...


13 Jun 2012
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on regional co-operation in South East Europe in 2011-2012 report

The report, endorsed by the participants of the RCC Annual Meeting, on 13 June 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia, covers the period May 2011-May 2012.


13 Jun 2012
Address by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, at the RCC Annual Meeting speech

The fourth RCC Annual Meeting was held on 13 June 2012 in Belgrade, Serbia.


07 Jun 2012
Interview by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to Deutsche Welle interview

In the interview, published on 7 June 2012, the RCC Secretary General speaks about regional cooperation in South East Europe.


04 Jun 2012
Opening address by Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General, at the First Academy on Media Law in South East Europe speech

The address was delivered at the opening of the first academy on media law in South East Europe, in Zagreb, Croatia, on 4 June 2012. The week-long event has been organized under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), with support of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, and the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The project will be implemented ...


15 May 2012
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 6 March to 3 May 2012, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


15 May 2012
Regional Cooperation Council Board meets in Sarajevo, accepts annual, financial reports news

The second meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board in 2012 accepted today the Annual Report 2011-2012 of the organization’s Secretary General. It also approved the Secretary General’s financial report for 2011. “The Annual Report highlights developments in regional cooperation in South East Europe, points to the remaining political and socio-economic issues in the region, ...


25 Apr 2012
Article by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, published in ‘Die Südosteuropa Mitteilungen’, the journal of Southeast Europe Association article

The article has been published in the first 2012 issue of ‘Die Südosteuropa Mitteilungen’, the journal of Southeast Europe Association.


24 Apr 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at 10th meeting of South East Europe Investment Committee speech

The meeting was held at RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo on 24-25 April 2012.


29 Mar 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at 13th Bled Forum speech

The address was delivered at the 13th Bled Forum’s ‘Foresight Conference: Europe Beyond Smart – Inclusive – Sustainable, Throughout Cloud Computing Decade’, held in Bled, Slovenia, on 29-30 March 2012.


15 Mar 2012
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 30 November 2011 to 5 March 2012, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


15 Mar 2012
Regional Cooperation Council Board holds its first meeting in 2012, in Sarajevo news

Assessment of the first year of implementation of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, and the report of the organization’s Secretary General on the activities of the Secretariat over the past three months, were in focus of today’s meeting of the RCC Board, held in Sarajevo. “The main objective of the self-assessment, conducted by the RCC Secretariat, ...


14 Mar 2012
Welcoming speech by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at a panel discussion ‘From Ownership to Responsibility: Regional Cooperation in South East Europe and EU Membership’ speech

The panel discussion was held in Sarajevo, BiH, on 14 March 2012, to mark the 4th anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council.


13 Mar 2012
Regional cooperation in South East Europe, EU membership focus of 4th RCC anniversary celebration press release

SARAJEVO – The 4th anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) will be marked in Sarajevo tomorrow with a panel discussion From ownership to responsibility: Regional cooperation in South East Europe and EU membership. The panellists will include Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General; Peter Sorensen, Head of the European Union Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina; Dusko Lopandic, Assistant ...


13 Mar 2012
RCC Secretary General, BiH Foreign Minister meet in Sarajevo news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, held consultations with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zlatko Lagumdzija, in Sarajevo today. Secretary General Biscevic informed Minister Lagumdzija of the evolution of the RCC since its establishment four years ago, as well as the ongoing discussion on possible new focus of the organization ...


06 Mar 2012
RCC Secretary General meets Minister of Foreign Affairs in Skopje news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met in Skopje today with Nikola Poposki, Minister of Foreign Affairs, of the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as the incoming chair of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP). The talks focused on political and economic developments in South East Europe, including resolution of bilateral issues that have ...


31 Jan 2012
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at informal meeting of SEECP ministers of foreign affairs speech

The meeting took place on 31 January 2012, in Belgrade, Serbia.


31 Jan 2012
RCC Secretary General, Serbian Foreign Minister meet in Belgrade news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met in Belgrade today with Vuk Jeremic, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Serbia and the current chair of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), to talk about regional cooperation and political developments in South East Europe. The two officials discussed general shape of developments in the region, including ...


21 Jan 2012
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, published by Albanian daily Gazeta Shqiptare interview

In the interview RCC Secretary General speaks about the RCC’s work and the regional cooperation in South East Europe.


15 Jan 2012
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to BiH daily Dnevni avaz interview

In the interview RCC Secretary General speaks about relations in South East Europe today as compared to 2008.


02 Jan 2012
Article by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to New Europe weekly article

The article speaks about regional cooperation in South East Europe.


23 Dec 2011
Interview by Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General, to Albanian weekly Tirana Times interview

In the interview, published on 23 December 2011, the RCC Secretary General speaks about the organization’s work and the regional cooperation in South East Europe.


08 Dec 2011
Head of LSE institute to speak about perceptions of crisis-struck Europe, sign agreement with RCC, in Sarajevo press release

SARAJEVO – The impact of the current euro-zone crisis on perceptions of ‘Europe’ will be the topic of a lecture by Professor Kevin Featherstone, Head of the European Institute at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), to be held at the Sarajevo School of Economics and Business (EFSA), tomorrow. The lecture Images, meanings, and legitimation: Is the European story changing? ...


08 Dec 2011
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 9 September - 30 November 2011, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


08 Dec 2011
Regional Cooperation Council Board meets in Sarajevo today, adopts budget news

The Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) reviewed today in Sarajevo the activities of the organization over the past three months, adopted the RCC Secretariat’s budget for 2012, and provided guidance for the future work of the organization. “Despite residual complexities, South East Europe has continued to move forward, creating conditions for enhanced regional cooperation, ownership ...


06 Dec 2011
Written address by Hido Biščević, RCC Secretary General, at the 18th Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council speech

The 18th meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)’s Ministerial Council took place on 6-7 December 2011, in Vilnius, Lithuania.


16 Nov 2011
131 million euro European Commission strategy for Western Balkan discussed at Regional Cooperation Council in Sarajevo press release

SARAJEVO – More than 70 participants, representing beneficiaries from the Western Balkans and Turkey, took part in the latest Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Multi-Beneficiary Programme Coordination Meeting on regional cooperation that ends in Sarajevo today. This two-day meeting, hosted by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat and the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ...


16 Nov 2011
Opening address by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, at the IPA Multi-Beneficiary Coordination Meeting speech

The two-day meeting, hosted by the RCC Secretariat, opened on 15 November 2011 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


16 Nov 2011
European Commission’s Director General for Enlargement visits RCC Secretariat news

Director General for Enlargement of the European Commission, Stefano Sannino, visited the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat in Sarajevo today, to discuss regional cooperation with RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic. Secretary General Biscevic informed about RCC activities and implementation of the organization’s Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, designed to support a lasting ...


14 Nov 2011
Opening address by Hido Biščević, RCC Secretary General, at the International seminar ‘South East Europe 20 Years On: Transformation from State to Public Broadcasting’ speech

The seminar, co-organized by the European Commission (EC)’s Enlargement Directorate-General and the RCC Secretariat, with support of the European Association of Public Service Media in South East Europe and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), was held on 14 November in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


11 Nov 2011
Seminar on freedom, independence and sustainability of public service media in South East Europe to open in Sarajevo on Monday press release

SARAJEVO, 11 November 2011 – Over 50 participants from the Regional Cooperation Council’s 13 South East European members will discuss independence and sustainability of the region’s public service media in Sarajevo, on Monday, 14 November. The international seminar South East Europe 20 Years On: Transformation from State to Public Broadcasting is co-organized by the European Commission (EC)’s ...


10 Nov 2011
RCC Secretary General Biščević meets EU Commissioner Füle over regional cooperation news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biščević, met in Brussels today with EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Štefan Füle, to talk about current situation in the region and regional cooperation in view of the last month’s European Commission’s Enlargement Package. Commissioner Füle and Secretary General Biščević emphasised ...


19 Oct 2011
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to the news portal Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso interview

The interview has been published on 19 October 2011. It has been carried by the Le Courrier des Balkans as well, on 26 October 2011.


13 Oct 2011
Address by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic at the Third Health Ministerial Forum: Health in All Policies speech

The address has been delivered at a two-day meeting on 13 October 2011 in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina.


05 Oct 2011
RCC Secretary General, Albanian Deputy Prime Minister meet ahead of key European decisions affecting the region news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met today in Tirana with Edmond Haxhinasto, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania, to discuss regional cooperation and developments in South East Europe ahead of European Union’s progress reports due later this month. “Decisions of European institutions over the next few months ...


30 Sep 2011
Protocol on regional cooperation among South East European public media signed in Sarajevo, under RCC auspices press release

SARAJEVO, 30 September 2011 – Directors general of 12 public broadcasters signed today in Sarajevo a Protocol on Regional Cooperation in Education and Training among members of the European Association of Public Service Media in South East Europe, under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat. The event was co-organized by the Association, the Radio-Television of Bosnia ...


30 Sep 2011
Protocol on Regional Cooperation in Education and Training among members of the European Association of Public Service Media in South East Europe agreement

The Protocol has been signed by directors general of 12 public broadcasters, as well by RCC and EBU, on 30 September 2011 in Sarajevo.


29 Sep 2011
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Hido Biščević, to BiH daily Dnevni list interview

This is the second, economic, part of the interview published on 29 September 2011.


28 Sep 2011
Directors general of South East European public media to sign cooperation protocol in Sarajevo, with RCC support press release

SARAJEVO – Directors general of 13 public service broadcasters from South East Europe, supported by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), will sign a protocol on regional cooperation in Sarajevo on Friday, 30 September. The Protocol on Regional Cooperation in Education and Training among members of the European Association of Public Service Media in ...


25 Sep 2011
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Hido Biščević, to BiH daily Dnevni list interview

This is the first, political, part of the interview published on 25 September 2011.


23 Sep 2011
RCC Secretary General meets South East European foreign ministers in New York news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, took part in an informal meeting of ministers of foreign affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), the Central European Initiative (CEI) and the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII), held in New York yesterday at the margins of the UN General Assembly session. The meeting was initiated by Vuk Jeremic, ...


15 Sep 2011
Report to RCC Board on activities of RCC Secretariat report

The report covers the period from 9 May 2011 to 9 September 2011, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


15 Sep 2011
RCC Board meets in Sarajevo to discuss activities of the organization news

The 28-member Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) met in Sarajevo today, to review activities of the past trimester and set course for the work of the organization until the end of the year. Secretary General of the organization, Hido Biscevic, reported to the Board on details of implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013. "Regardless of oscilations in political ...


07 Sep 2011
RCC Secretary General discusses regional affairs and organization’s activities with senior U.S. and World Bank officials news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met yesterday in Washington D.C. with Phil Reeker, United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, and a number of senior U.S. officials; as well as with Philippe Le Houerou, Vice President of the World Bank for Europe and Central Asia Region. Secretary General Biscevic informed in detail about RCC activities and implementation ...


09 Jul 2011
Interview by Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, to Croatian daily Slobodna Dalmacija interview

In the interview RCC Secretary General talks about activities of the organisation and regional cooperation in South East Europe.


06 Jul 2011
Serbian President Tadic gives full support to RCC activities in promoting regional cooperation in South East Europe press release

SARAJEVO – President of the Republic of Serbia, Boris Tadic, paid a visit today to the Secretariat of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in Sarajevo, where he expressed full support to the work of the organization during his meeting with RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic. The two officials discussed joint activities following the last week’s Serbian takeover of the Chairmanship-in-Office ...


30 Jun 2011
Heads of State and Government of South East Europe praise work of Regional Cooperation Council press release

BUDVA/SARAJEVO – The Heads of State and Government of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) praised today in Budva the successful implementation of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, endorsing the Annual Report of its Secretary General. “We paid particular attention to the results achieved by the RCC in the implementation of the Strategy ...


30 Jun 2011
Declaration of the 14th meeting of the Heads of State and Government of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) declaration/decision

The document has been adopted on 30 June 2011 in Budva, Montenegro.


29 Jun 2011
South East European foreign ministers voice support to RCC activities, endorse its Annual Report press release

  BUDVA/SARAJEVO – Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) countries commended today the work of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and its Secretary General at a meeting in Budva, Montenegro. They extended full support to the implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013 and endorsed the organization’s Annual Report ...


28 Jun 2011
Regional cooperation in South East Europe encouraging, says RCC Secretary General at the organization’s Annual Meeting press release

  BUDVA/SARAJEVO – “Regional cooperation in South East Europe has exhibited encouraging signs over the past year“ said Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), while opening the organization's third Annual Meeting in the Montenegrin town of Becici near Budva, on 28 June 2011. “The new spirit of cooperation, reconciliation, moderation and pragmatism ...


28 Jun 2011
Annual Report of the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council on regional co-operation in South East Europe in 2010-2011 report

The report, endorsed by the participants of the RCC Annual Meeting, on 28 June 2011 in Becici, Montenegro, covers the period May 2010-May 2011.


28 Jun 2011
Address by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, at the RCC Annual Meeting speech

The third RCC Annual Meeting was held on 28 June 2011, in Becici, Montenegro.


25 Jun 2011
Interview by Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, to Montenegrin daily Pobjeda interview

In the interview, given prior to the third RCC Annual Meeting, which was held on 28 June 2011 in Becici, Montenegro, the RCC Secretary General speaks about the organisation’s past activities and future challenges.


24 Jun 2011
Annual Meeting of Regional Cooperation Council to be held in Budva, Montenegro press release

BUDVA/SARAJEVO – The third Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), will take place in the Montenegrin town of Becici near Budva, on 28 June 2011. It will be co-organized by the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Chairmanship-in-Office of Montenegro and the RCC Secretariat, and co-chaired by Milan Rocen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Montenegro, ...


21 Jun 2011
RCC Secretary General takes part in EU-Western Balkans ministerial meeting news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), took part in the ministerial meeting EU-Western Balkans: Western Balkans Forum, held in Luxembourg yesterday. Ahead of the next week’s RCC Annual Meeting, as well as ministerial and summit meetings of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), Secretary General Biscevic gave an overview of the state of cooperation ...


25 May 2011
RCC Secretary General and European Commission Director discuss transport priorities in South East Europe news

Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), met today with Marjeta Jager, Director for General Policy at the Directorate General for Mobility and Transport (DG MOVE) of the European Commission, to discuss transport sector priorities in South East Europe. “It is necessary to translate current political spirit of cooperation in South East Europe into concrete projects, ...


12 May 2011
Quarterly report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic report

The report covers the period from 9 March 2011 to 9 May 2011, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


12 May 2011
RCC Board reviews progress in implementation of organization's 2011-2013 strategy news

The second meeting of the Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in 2011, held in Sarajevo today, reviewed work of the RCC Secretariat over the past two months and discussed its future activities. RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic presented a report on the activities of the organization’s Secretariat for the period 9 March-9 May 2011. “Over this period, South East Europe was ...


14 Apr 2011
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the OSCE Permanent Council meeting speech

The Permanent Council meeting of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), was held in Vienna, on 14 April 2011. The document containing RCC Secretary General’s address also includes links to available responses by the missions to OSCE.


06 Apr 2011
Interview by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to Serbian Radio Novi Sad interview

In the interview, RCC Secretary General speaks about the conference ‘Western Balkans and Europe 2020 – Towards Convergence and Growth’, organized by RCC on 30-31 March 2011 in Brussels, as well as about RCC activities in general.


03 Apr 2011
Article by New Europe weekly featuring Regional Cooperation Council’s activities article

The article reports on the conference ‘Western Balkans and Europe 2020 – Towards Convergence and Growth’, organized by the Regional Cooperation Council Secretariat on 30-31 March in Brussels.


30 Mar 2011
Address by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the conference 'Western Balkans and Europe 2020: Path Towards Convergence and Growth’ speech

The event, that gathered over 100 participants, was held in Brussels, Belgium on 30-31 March 2011.


18 Mar 2011
Regional Strategic Document on Justice and Home Affairs 2011-2013 and the Action Plan for its implementation report

The Strategic Document was endorsed by the Ministers in Budva, Montenegro, on 18 March 2011.


17 Mar 2011
South East European ministers to endorse regional strategy on justice and home affairs, prepared under RCC auspices press release

BUDVA/SARAJEVO, 17 March 2011 – A two-day conference of ministers of justice and interior of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which is expected to endorse the Regional Strategic Document on Justice and Home Affairs 2011-2013 developed by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat and relevant stakeholders from the region, commenced in Budva today. The Strategic Document ...


17 Mar 2011
Address by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the regional conference of ministers of justice and ministers of interior from South East Europe speech

The SEECP ministerial conference ‘Strengthening Co-operation in Fight against Organized Crime in South East Europe’ was held in Budva, Montenegro on 16-18 March 2011.


15 Mar 2011
Address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the meeting of defense ministers of the South-East European Cooperation Process speech

The meeting of the defense ministers of the South-East European Cooperation Process was held in Budva, Montenegro on 14-15 March 2011.


15 Mar 2011
South East European defense ministers stress RCC’s importance in regional cooperation news

In a Joint Statement adopted in Budva today, Ministers of Defense of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) stressed the importance of defense and security cooperation in fostering general stability and development in the region. The Ministers underlined that in a rapidly changing security environment, where new challenges arise – from current economic crisis to natural disaster ...


08 Mar 2011
Quarterly report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic report

The report covers the period from 4 December 2010 to 4 March 2011, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


08 Mar 2011
Regional Cooperation Council Board holds its first meeting in 2011 in Sarajevo today news

The Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) met in Sarajevo today to review the activities of the organization over the past three months and provide guidance for the period ahead. “Balanced regional development and all-inclusiveness is a prerequisite for stability and prosperity of South East Europe”, said RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic, while presenting a report on the activities ...


07 Mar 2011
Welcoming speech by the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at a panel discussion ‘South East Europe in 2011 and Beyond: Sharing the Same Vision’ speech

The panel discussion was held in Sarajevo, BiH, on 7 March 2011, to mark the third anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council.


04 Mar 2011
Prospects for regional cooperation in South East Europe in 2011 and beyond focus of the 3rd RCC anniversary celebration press release

SARAJEVO, 4 March 2011 – A panel discussion South East Europe in 2011 and Beyond: Sharing the Same Vision will be held in Sarajevo, on Monday, 7 March, to mark the third anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). The panellists will include Hido Biscevic, RCC Secretary General; Andris Kesteris, Principal Advisor, Directorate General for Enlargement, European Commission; Jasminka Kronja, ...


28 Jan 2011
Montenegrin Foreign Minister, RCC Secretary General sign protocol on hosting regional task force on culture and society press release

BECICI/SARAJEVO – A protocol on the host country arrangements for the Secretariat of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Task Force on Culture and Society was signed this evening by Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Milan Rocen, and RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, in Becici, Montenegro. The Task Force Secretariat will be based in Cetinje, Montenegro. It ...


28 Jan 2011
Address by the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Hido Biscevic, at the informal meeting of the SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs speech

The informal meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Ministers of Foreign Affairs took place on 28 January 2011, in Becici/Budva, Montenegro


27 Jan 2011
Talking points of Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, Hido Biscevic, at the meeting of the SEECP Political Directors speech

The meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) Political Directors took place on 27 January 2011, in Becici/Budva, Montenegro


03 Jan 2011
Article by Hido Biščević, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council, for New Europe weekly article

In the article, Secretary General writes about regional cooperation in South East Europe in 2010.


16 Dec 2010
RCC Secretary General and EU Commissioner for Regional Policy discuss cooperation news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, met in Brussels yesterday with EU Commissioner for Regional Policy, Johannes Hahn, and exchanged views on RCC activities related to implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.   The two officials also discussed possible cooperation between the RCC and the European Commission regarding implementation ...


13 Dec 2010
Interview by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic to Business Magazine interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General talks about the activities of the organization over the past three years, as well as future prospects.


13 Dec 2010
RCC Secretary General, EU Enlargement Director General agree 2010 successful for regional cooperation news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, met in Brussels today with the European Commission's Director General for Enlargement, Michael Leigh, to discuss preparations for implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013, and evaluate the progress made thus far. The two officials agreed that 2010 has been a successful year for regional ...


10 Dec 2010
RCC Secretary General meets EU Commissioner for Enlargement news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, met in Brussels yesterday with the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fuele, to discuss regional cooperation in South East Europe. The two officials welcomed the progress made in improving the political climate in the region and expressed expectations that the enlargement countries from Western ...


02 Dec 2010
Quarterly report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic report

The report covers the period from 11 September to 26 November 2010, and reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


02 Dec 2010
Regional Cooperation Council Board meets in Sarajevo today news

The 28-member Board of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) heard in Sarajevo today a report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic on the activities of the organization’s Secretariat since September 2010 and the information on the work planned for the next three months. The report reflects progress in implementation of the RCC Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013 endorsed by the RCC ...


29 Nov 2010
RCC Secretary General meets officials of upcoming Hungarian EU Presidency news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, held a series of meetings in Budapest today with officials of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the context of Hungary’s takeover of the Presidency of the European Union (EU) on 1 January 2011. The RCC Secretary General met with Parliamentary State Secretary Zsolt Nemeth, Deputy State Secretaries Peter ...


23 Nov 2010
Address by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic at the EU-Western Balkans Ministerial Forum on Justice and Home Affairs speech

The address titled “Working Together in Strengthening EU Perspectives: the Role of the RCC” was delivered on 23 November 2010 in Brussels.


15 Nov 2010
Interview by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic to Odbrana, bi-weekly magazine of the Serbian Ministry of Defence interview

In the interview, Secretary General Biscevic speaks about the RCC and its activities, and regional cooperation in general with emphasis on security cooperation.


15 Nov 2010
RCC Secretary General meets Slovenian Foreign Minister over cooperation in South East Europe news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, met today with Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar and Ambassador Mitja Strukelj, National Coordinator for the Western Balkans, to discuss political situation and regional cooperation in South East Europe. Secretary General Biscevic congratulated Minister Zbogar on Slovenia joining, as of June this year, the South-East ...


15 Oct 2010
Sarajevo conference calls on European institutions to support public media in digital transition for South East Europe press release

SARAJEVO – Broadcasters and government officials pledged to ensure a smooth digital transition in South East Europe and called on European institutions for financial support in the interests of European cohesion. This was a key message of a two-day roundtable conference entitled Addressing Europe’s Digital Divide: Towards Sustainable Public Service Media in South East Europe. Organized by the ...


14 Oct 2010
Opening address by RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the international conference on digitalization and sustainability of public service media speech

The opening address refers to the international conference ‘Addressing Europe’s Digital Divide: Towards Sustainable Public Service Media in South East Europe’, held in RCC Secretariat on 14-15 October 2010.


06 Oct 2010
RCC Secretary General discusses regional cooperation with Bulgarian officials news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, held consultations in Sofia today with Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Energy and Transport, Milen Ljutzkanov, Mario Kosev and Ivaylo Moskovski, respectively, as well as Ambassador at Large for Energy Security and Climate Change, Peter Poptchev. Secretary General Biscevic informed his Bulgarian counterparts of ...


27 Sep 2010
Article by BiH daily Oslobodjenje featuring Regional Cooperation Council article

The article is about the Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013 of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and carries statements of RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, and his Deputy, Jelica Minic.


22 Sep 2010
Interview by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic to RTV Vojvodina/Radio Novi Sad interview

In the interview, the RCC Secretary General talks about the Regional Cooperation Council, its activities so far and the organization’s Strategy and Work Programme 2011-2013.


15 Sep 2010
RCC Secretary General to outline the organization’s new three-year strategy at a press conference in Sarajevo tomorrow press release

SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, will present the organization’s new strategy for 2011-2013, and outline the main activities scheduled for this autumn, at a press conference in Sarajevo, tomorrow, 16 September. Secretary General Biscevic will be accompanied by his Deputy and Head of the RCC Expert Pool, Jelica Minic, as well as the organization’s ...


14 Jul 2010
RCC Secretary General presents the organization’s new strategy at COWEB Capitals meeting news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic presented today to the COWEB Capitals meeting in Brussels the organization’s Strategy and Work Programme 2011-13, adopted last month, and received support to the organization’s work by the participants. Secretary General Biscevic highlighted that, in the implementation of the RCC mandate and the new three-year Strategy, it is necessary to take maximum ...


08 Jul 2010
Commentary for EurActiv by Hido Biščević, Secretary General, Regional Cooperation Council interview

Secretary General Biscevic writes about the new spirit of rapprochement in Western Balkans and the ways it can be advanced, also in light of the RCC strategy for the next three years, endorsed last month by South East European heads of state and government.


30 Jun 2010
RCC Secretary General discusses energy and transport projects with Albanian officials news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Hido Biscevic met in Tirana today with top Albanian officials to discuss concrete regional projects, primarily in the energy and transport sectors. The readiness of the Albanian government and relevant ministries to engage in the design and implementation of such projects was stressed at a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister ...


29 Jun 2010
RCC Secretary General discusses regional cooperation in Pristina news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic visited Pristina today to discuss development opportunities in the context of regional cooperation in South East Europe. Secretary General Biscevic met the Head of the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo, Ambassador Lamberto Zannier; Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hajredin Kuci; Special Representative of the European Union (EUSR) in Kosovo, Peter ...


23 Jun 2010
South East European heads of state give full support to the Regional Cooperation Council, approve appointment of its Secretary General press release

ISTANBUL/SARAJEVO – The Heads of State and Government of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) expressed today at the summit meeting in Istanbul their appreciation for the work of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in transforming the current advanced regional cooperation to a new level, focusing on concrete and targeted projects aimed at regional recovery and economic development. ...


22 Jun 2010
South East European foreign ministers re-appoint Hido Biscevic as Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council press release

ISTANBUL/SARAJEVO – The ministers of foreign affairs of the states participating in the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) re-appointed Hido Biscevic as the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at their meeting in Istanbul today. The re-appointment is for the period until 31 December 2012. “It has been a privilege to serve the interests of South East ...


22 Jun 2010
Annual Meeting endorses new RCC strategy, annual report and nomination of Secretary General press release

ISTANBUL/SARAJEVO – The Annual Meeting of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), held in Istanbul today, endorsed the organization’s 2011-2013 Strategy and Work Programme, and the Annual Report of its Secretary General for the past year’s activities. The RCC members also endorsed the nomination proposal for the appointment of the Secretary General for a two-year period (2011-2012). At the ...


12 Jun 2010
RCC Secretary General and EU Enlargement Commissioner discuss EU policy towards South East Europe news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, and EU Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, Stefan Fuele, agreed at their meeting in Brussels yesterday that the last week’s high level EU-Western Balkans meeting and recent activities of political leaders from South East Europe affirmed the EU perspective of all the countries of the region and ...


07 Jun 2010
RCC Secretary General takes part in the 8th conference of SEECP speakers of parliament news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, participated today in the 8th meeting of speakers of parliament of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) participating states, held in Antalya. The event was organized by the Republic of Turkey, which holds the rotating SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office. “At this crucial point in time regional cooperation ...


02 Jun 2010
RCC Secretary General hails messages of EU-Western Balkans meeting in Sarajevo, and new era of regional relations press release

SARAJEVO – “The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) strongly supports political meetings, statements and decisions that lead to a new era of relations in South East Europe, based on trust, dialogue and tolerance”, said RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at today’s high level EU-Western Balkans meeting in Sarajevo, organized by the Spanish Presidency with the support of the EU. Biscevic ...


18 May 2010
RCC Board finalizes discussions on the organization’s three-year strategy news

Members of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board supported in Sarajevo today the concept of the 2011-2013 strategy and work programme of the organization, and agreed to finalize it in time for the approval by the RCC Annual Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, on 22 June. The new strategy will define RCC activities over the next three years, based on the region’s needs, and focusing on projects ...


17 May 2010
European Movements from South East Europe meet for the first time in Sarajevo, under RCC auspices press release

SARAJEVO, 17 May 2010 – National European Movement Councils from eight South East European countries met in Sarajevo today for the first time to discuss greater civil society involvement in regional cooperation. The event was hosted by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat. The discussions focused on better communicating the EU to the citizens of South East Europe; cooperation with ...


29 Apr 2010
Biscevic, Djelic agree on the importance of regional projects as a developement stimulus news

“The main goal of the series of visits to the RCC members from South East Europe, I have undertook, is pinpointing the national projects that could be implemented on a regional level, thus creating a climate for invigorated economic development of the region as a whole,” said Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at the meeting with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister ...


29 Apr 2010
Secretary General with PM Gruevski: Cooperation on joint projects a way to accelerated development news

As part of visits to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) members from South East Europe (SEE), the Secretary General Hido Biscevic met yesterday in Skopje with the Prime Minister of The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Nikola Gruevski, and informed him on the finalization of the Strategy and Work Programme of the organization for the 2011-2013 period.  Biscevic emphasized that, following ...


27 Apr 2010
RCC national coordinators from South East Europe discuss new strategy of the organization news

The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) national coordinators from South East Europe met today to discuss the draft organization’s strategy for 2011-2013, with the aim of its finalization and subsequent approval by the RCC Board on 18 May 2010. The participants of the meeting presented their detailed views, comments and suggestions on the draft strategy, as well as provided guidance to the RCC ...


14 Apr 2010
Regional Cooperation Council launches redesigned website and new publication, a monthly newsletter press release

SARAJEVO, 14 April 2010 – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat launched today a redesigned version of the organization’s website and a new publication, the monthly e-newsletter. The new website features enable users to customize the content while maintaining the simplicity of design, which is meant to provide even easier browsing through the content. They also allow subscription ...


09 Apr 2010
RCC Secretary General joins experts in addressing economic crisis in South East Europe news

Hido Biščević, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), took part in a conference of ministers of economy and finance of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP), which is being held in Istanbul, Turkey, on 8-10 April 2010. The event, which also gathered governors of central banks in the region, was organized by the Turkish SEECP Chairmanship-in-Office in order ...


08 Apr 2010
RCC Secretary General holds talks with Turkish officials news

The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biščević, met today with Ambassador Feridun Sinirlioğlu, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey, and Ambassador Şanıvar Olgun, Turkish RCC National Coordinator, to discuss future activities of the organization. Secretary General Biščević informed his Turkish counterparts of the new strategy for the ...


30 Mar 2010
RCC Secretary General, officials of the Republic of Moldova discuss joint activities news

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Hido Biscevic met today with high-level officials of the Republic of Moldova to outline the organization’s priorities in the next three years and the ways the Republic of Moldova can take best advantage of regional cooperation in South East Europe. At a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, ...


09 Mar 2010
Future RCC role in focus of talks between the organization’s Secretary General and EC Director General for Enlargement news

Future role of the RCC and its Strategic Work Programme for 2011-2013 was in focus of a meeting between RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and Director General for Enlargement in the European Commission Michael Leigh, held in Brussels today. Director General Leigh positively assessed the work of the RCC and its Secretariat, and supported the current draft of the RCC strategy for the next three ...


04 Mar 2010
RCC Board starts discussing the organization's strategy for the next three years press release

SARAJEVO – The Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board discussed today the first draft of the new, three-year Strategic Work Programme of the organization for the period 2011-2013. “The new RCC strategy will outline, in a clear and focused manner, envisaged directions of RCC activities until 2013, on the basis of the region’s needs, added value of specific projects and cooperation within ...


26 Feb 2010
RCC Secretary General and Montenegrin Prime Minister discuss cooperation news

The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, and the Montenegrin Prime Minister, Milo Djukanovic, discussed in Podgorica today political developments in South East Europe (SEE) and importance of the SEE countries’ steady progress towards EU integration. Secretary General Biscevic informed Prime Minister Djukanovic of the new strategy for the 2011-13 activities of the RCC Secretariat that is currently ...


23 Feb 2010
International conference on overcoming economic crisis in Western Balkans to mark 2nd RCC anniversary press release

SARAJEVO – A two-day regional conference “Western Balkans in 2020 – Overcoming the Economic Crisis and Developing Competitive Economies” will open in Sarajevo tomorrow. The event, organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat, will also mark the 2nd anniversary of the organization. This international conference will review the impact on the Western Balkan countries of ...


17 Feb 2010
RCC Secretary General holds talks with Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers news

The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, met today with the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nikola Spiric, and informed him of the new phase of RCC activities following the initial period of the organization’s profiling as the key driver of regional cooperation in South East Europe (SEE). Secretary General Biscevic stressed the potential for the region’s development ...


09 Dec 2009
Reforms, confirmed European perspective and development cooperation set base for advancement of South East Europe, says RCC head at Western Balkans conference in Brussels press release

BRUSSELS – “The EU enlargement process must continue to be based upon the principle of fulfilment of accession criteria, on one hand, and on full confirmation of the European perspective for all countries of South East Europe, on the other“, said Hido Biscevic, Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), at a high-level conference on the Western Balkans, held in Brussels today. The ...


07 Dec 2009
High-level Western Balkans conference to be held in Brussels on Wednesday, under EU auspices and with RCC support press release

SARAJEVO/BRUSSELS – A conference on the Western Balkans “Overcoming the economic crisis – from regional cooperation to EU membership” will take place in Brussels, on Wednesday, 9 December. The event will be organized by the Swedish EU Presidency and the European Commission, in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC). The conference will focus on the financial and economic ...


03 Dec 2009
RCC Board discusses future strategic focuses of organization's activities and supports efforts of its Secretariat in Sarajevo press release

SARAJEVO – The 29 members of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Board discussed today in Sarajevo further strategic prioritization of activities of the organization and gave full support to its Secretariat in these efforts. At the last Board meeting this year, the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic submitted a report on the activities of the RCC Secretariat in the September-December period, ...


03 Dec 2009
List of 2009 Activities of the RCC Secretariat information material


13 Nov 2009
RCC Secretary General takes part in a summit of Heads of Government of the Central European Initiative news

The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, participated in a meeting of Heads of Government of the Member States of the Central European Initiative (CEI) in Bucharest today. Secretary General Biščević extended his congratulations on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of successful cooperation and achievements of the Central European Initiative. He further stressed the excellent cooperation ...


12 Oct 2009
South East European journalists to talk in Sarajevo about media role in the region, under RCC and OSCE auspices press release

SARAJEVO – Journalists and editors from leading South East European media outlets will gather in Sarajevo on 15-16 October to discuss their role in shaping a new image of the region as a place of tolerance, progress and European values. The event will be organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat, with support of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) ...


09 Oct 2009
RCC Secretary General takes part in informal meeting of South East European Foreign Ministers in Istanbul news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biščević participated in Istanbul in the first informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) under the Turkish SEECP Chairmanship. Secretary General Biščević drew attention of the ministers to the fact that, in light of the current economic and political situation in South East Europe, the countries ...


25 Sep 2009
Address by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic at ministerial conference on public-private partnerships speech

The conference examined the opportunities, risks, and constraints to public-private partnership development in South East Europe, as well as the role these partnerships could potentially play in the context of national and regional development strategies.


17 Sep 2009
First meeting of prominent experts from South East Europe on regional response to economic crisis takes place in Sarajevo under RCC auspices press release

SARAJEVO – A panel of high-level experts from South East Europe (SEE) met in Sarajevo today to stimulate in depth discussion on regional response to global economic crisis. The first such meeting in the region was held under the auspices of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Secretariat. “The projects and ideas from this panel will be presented to the RCC members from SEE for review and ...


15 Sep 2009
RCC Board discusses situation in South East Europe and praises work of the organization’s Secretariat in Sarajevo press release

SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, presented his latest quarterly report on the activities of the RCC Secretariat to the 29 members of the organization's Board, who gathered in Sarajevo today. The report covers the period between 9 May and 9 September 2009. Secretary General Biscevic received full support of the RCC Board to the Secretariat's ...


03 Sep 2009
Senior Greek officials commend work of RCC and its Secretary General news

The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biščević, held talks in Greece today with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yannis Valinakis, and the Ministry's Secretary General for European Affairs, Dimitrios Katsoudas. The officials discussed political developments in South East Europe and challenges in this respect. RCC Secretary General Biscevic informed his Greek counterparts of the implementation of ...


22 Jul 2009
US to continue strong support to Regional Cooperation Council, senior official tells RCC Secretary General press release

WASHINGTON/SARAJEVO – The United States will continue its strong support to the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) as key partner in maintaining Euro-Atlantic perspective of the countries of South East Europe (SEE), senior US State Department officials told RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic during his two-day visit to Washington, which ends today. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Europe ...


14 Jul 2009
Article by Croatian weekly Nacional on Regional Cooperation Council, featuring Secretary General Hido Biscevic article

Croatia's leading political weekly Nacional gives an overview of the Regional Cooperation Council and its activities, imbedding segments of an interview with the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic into the article.


10 Jul 2009
Address by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic at The Croatia Summit 2009 speech

Description: The theme of the Croatia Summit 2009, held in Dubrovnik, was “Europe’s Strategic Imperative: Energy, Investment and Development”.


19 May 2009
RCC Secretary General meets EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy news

During a visit to Sarajevo today, the EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, met with the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, to reiterate EU support to RCC activities. High Representative Solana highlighted the importance of RCC work at this moment in time, when the region of South East Europe needs to take decisive steps in democratic reforms and towards ...


20 Apr 2009
RCC Secretary General speaks to Council of Europe Development Bank officials news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic met today in Paris with officials of the Council of Europe Development Bank, including the Bank’s Vice Governor Imre Tarafas, to explore the ways the two institutions can cooperate the best in the future. The RCC Secretary General briefed Mr Tarafas and the Bank representatives in great details about the RCC’s work in the priority areas of economic and ...


16 Apr 2009
RCC Secretary General meets Hungarian officials over RCC priorities news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic held consultations in Budapest today with State Secretary of the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gabor Szentivanyi, and other ministry officials, on RCC work and Hungarian contribution to the activities of the organization. Secretary General Biscevic spoke about the need for sharing experience between RCC members from South East Europe (SEE) and those ...


14 Apr 2009
RCC Secretary General holds consultations with Czech EU Presidency and delivers lecture at Prague Institute for International Relations news

Within regular consultations with the EU Presidency, the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, met today with the First Czech Deputy Foreign Minister, Tomas Pojar, to discuss current situation in South East Europe (SEE) and cooperation between the RCC and the Presidency. The two officials spoke about preparations by the RCC Secretariat and the Moldovan Chairmanship-in-Office of the South-East European ...


25 Mar 2009
RCC Secretary General holds consultations with 2010 Spanish EU presidency news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic met in Madrid today with the Secretary of State for Europe at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Diego López Garrido, and other high-level officials of the Ministry, for consultations on RCC activities and the role of Spain as a future EU presidency holder. Secretary General Biscevic outlined the RCC activities in the priority areas of economic and ...


19 Feb 2009
RCC National Coordinators from South East Europe meet in Sarajevo news

National Coordinators from RCC members from South East Europe (SEE) held their first meeting in 2009 in Sarajevo today, to discuss the most recent RCC activities. The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic informed the Coordinators about his contacts with the EU and the European Commission in particular, in light of the current economic and financial situation and implications for SEE. The need for ...


12 Feb 2009
RCC Secretary General invites Skopje to propose projects with neighbours to fully utilize EU funds available press release

SKOPJE/SARAJEVO – “I invite Skopje authorities to propose projects to be implemented under the EU’s Multi-beneficiary Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (MB IPA) Programme, and take full advantage of cooperation links the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) has built with EU institutions for this purpose”, RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic told Prime Minister of The Former Yugoslav Republic ...


10 Feb 2009
EU role in preserving South East European market from crisis vital, RCC Secretary General tells European Commission press release

BRUSSELS/SARAJEVO – In times of economic crisis, a key strategic interest of South East European countries is to ensure that the regional market, as one of the most dynamic emerging markets in the world, is preserved and economic activities enhanced, said Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biščević, at a meeting with EU Commission’s Director General for Enlargement, ...


04 Feb 2009
RCC Secretary General meets Chair of BiH Council of Ministers over investment initiative news

The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, met today the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nikola Spiric, to discuss investment possibilities in South East Europe. Chairman Spiric presented an initiative to establish the South East European Investment Bank, which would focus on increasing competitiveness in the region through financing specific regional projects in ...


31 Jan 2009
Knowledge, political will, responsibility and compromise, tools for shaping South East Europe relations, says RCC Secretary General in Moldova press release

CHISINAU/SARAJEVO – “Added urgency, self-responsibility and solidarity among the countries of South East Europe (SEE) are the key tools in ensuring continued positive trends in regional cooperation in SEE”, said the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, in Chisinau yesterday. Secretary General Biscevic made the remarks at the informal meeting of the South-East ...


08 Jan 2009
RCC Secretary General asks Russian and Ukrainian Prime Ministers to take steps to restoring gas supply to South East Europe press release

SARAJEVO – The Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC), Hido Biscevic, sent a letter today to the Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, conveying greatest concerns in South East Europe (SEE) over the present gas supply cut-off and urging Prime Minister Putin to consider looming humanitarian catastrophe in the Balkans. “I have conveyed to Prime Minister Putin our gravest ...


12 Dec 2008
Quarterly report by RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic report

Report to the RCC Board on the activities of the RCC Secretariat, for the period 1 October-5 December 2008.


05 Dec 2008
RCC Secretary General takes part in 16th OSCE Ministerial Meeting news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic participated at the 16th Ministerial Council Meeting of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) that took place in Helsinki on 4-5 December 2008. He informed the meeting participants of RCC priorities, structure of the RCC Secretariat as well as ongoing projects of the organization, and proposed that the RCC and OSCE explore the ...


21 Nov 2008
RCC Secretary General discusses organization’s activities with Irish officials news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic received support of the Irish Government to the work of the RCC Secretariat at a consultative meeting held with representatives of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs on 20 November 2008. During the talks, Secretary General Biscevic expressed strongest interest of Southeast European countries in EU resolving its present institutional issues in order to ...


18 Nov 2008
RCC Secretary General holds consultations with UK officials news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic met today in London with the Director of the Western Balkans at the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), Daniel Fearn, and other FCO officials, for consultations regarding the activities of the RCC Secretariat. Mr Fearn expressed satisfaction with the RCC Secretariat’s work and underlined Great Britain’s full support to its continued efforts ...


07 Nov 2008
RCC National Coordinators from Southeast Europe meet in Sarajevo news

The RCC National Coordinators from Southeast Europe met in Sarajevo today to discuss the regional cooperation priorities and level of harmonization of national activities and strategies with the RCC Strategic Work Programme 2008-2009 as well as with the Multi-beneficiary IPA Programme 2008 priorities. The meeting participants received an update from the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic on the ...


31 Oct 2008
RCC Secretary General takes part in World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic participated in the work of the World Economic Forum on Europe and Central Asia, which concluded in Istanbul today. Secretary General Biscevic spoke at the “Lisbon Goes East” session and informed the Forum participants of RCC priorities, focusing on regional development projects and activities in the sphere of economic and social development, energy and ...


13 Oct 2008
Minutes of Regional Coordination Meeting meeting document


08 Oct 2008
RCC Secretary General moderates Crans Montana Forum session on EU enlargement and regional cooperation news

The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic moderated the plenary session of Crans Montana Forum in Sarajevo on 8 October 2008, dedicated to the European enlargement and regional cooperation. Secretary General Biscevic highlighted that the topics of the Forum matched to a great extent the priorities of the RCC Secretariat, especially in the fields of energy, infrastructure, and economic and social ...


07 Oct 2008
Croatia’s EU accession talks to have positive impact on advancement of Euro-Atlantic integration of entire Southeast Europe, says RCC Secretary General press release

ZAGREB/SARAJEVO – Croatia’s role in promoting cooperation in Southeast Europe and the expected positive impact of the country’s EU accession talks on the European integration prospects of the entire region, were the central themes of the talks between the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gordan Jandrokovic, in Zagreb today. The RCC Secretary ...


02 Oct 2008
Pristina invited to participate in development projects in Southeast Europe by RCC Secretary General press release

PRISTINA/SARAJEVO – The RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, discussed with high officials in Pristina yesterday the most beneficial ways of utilizing RCC networking capacities to ensure faster development of the organization’s every Southeast European member. At a meeting with the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in Kosovo (SRSG), Lamberto Zannier, Secretary General Biscevic ...


26 Sep 2008
RCC Board met in Sarajevo on 6 October news

The 29 members of the RCC Board met for the first time at the premises of the RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo on 6 October 2008. The Board reviewed activities of the RCC Secretariat in the period May-October 2008, in light of the quarterly report of the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic, and discussed future activities and projects within the RCC framework. The RCC Board provides ...


25 Sep 2008
Bosnia and Herzegovina should take advantage of regional projects, say RCC Secretary General and Chairman of BiH Council of Ministers press release

SARAJEVO – The ways Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) can take the best advantage of the projects advocated by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) was the main point of discussion between the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers, Nikola Spiric, held in Sarajevo yesterday. Chairman Spiric expressed full support to RCC activities and reaffirmed BiH ...


19 Sep 2008
Southeast Europe at crossroads, needs faster EU integration to avoid stagnation, says RCC Secretary General at conference in Prague press release

PRAGUE/SARAJEVO – Southeast Europe needs faster reform pace in order to speed up EU integration and avoid dangerous stagnation, said the RCC Secretary General, Hido Biscevic, at a conference on further EU enlargement organized by the incoming Czech EU Presidency and ANO pro Evropu non-governmental organization in Prague yesterday. The discussions focused on the progress made by the Southeast ...


16 Jul 2008
World Bank Vice President gives full support to RCC, stresses fire-fighting and waterway use as areas of joint focus press release

SARAJEVO – At a meeting with the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic in Sarajevo today, the World Bank Vice President for Europe and Central Asia, Shigeo Katsu, expressed his complete support to the work of the RCC and to the development of joint cooperation between the two organizations. Vice President Katsu fully supported an initiative for the establishment of the Southeast European Regional ...


11 Jul 2008
Role of RCC National Coordinators to be strengthened, says organization’s Secretary General press release

ATHENS/SARAJEVO – The ways of enhancing the role of RCC National Coordinators was in the centre of talks between the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and the Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Yannis Valinakis in Athens yesterday. The two officials discussed the situation in South Eastern Europe and pointed to a need to strengthen regional cooperation, especially in view of different opinions of ...


10 Jul 2008
RCC Secretary General praises Serbia's commitment to regional cooperation at a meeting in Belgrade press release

BELGRADE/SARAJEVO - The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic thanked the Serbian Government for its contribution to the RCC work at a meeting with the State Secretary of the Serbian Foreign Ministry Radojko Bogojevic in Belgrade yesterday. Secretary General Biscevic expressed appreciation for Serbia's contribution to the work of the RCC and its confirmed commitment to cooperation in the development ...


09 Jul 2008
RCC Secretary General starts his round of political consultations with leaders in South Eastern Europe press release

SOFIA/SARAJEVO - The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic started in Sofia yesterday his round of political consultations with high-level officials of Southeast European countries. In a meeting with the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivailo Kalfin, Secretary General Biscevic laid down the main activities of the RCC Secretariat in the priority areas of economic and ...


30 Jun 2008
RCC National Coordinators from SEE hold first meeting in Sarajevo news

The 30 June 2008 meeting at the premises of the RCC Secretariat in Sarajevo assessed the level of harmonization of national activities and strategies with the 2008-2009 RCC Strategic Work Programme, and with the priorities of the 2008 Multi-beneficiary Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA) Programme of the European Commission. The RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic and experts of the ...


21 May 2008
RCC Board adopts the organization’s 2008-2009 Strategic Work Programme news

On 20 May 2008 in Pomorie, Bulgaria, the RCC Board adopted a report by the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic on transformation of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe into the Regional Cooperation Council, as well as the RCC Strategic Work Programme for 2008-2009 and the appointments to the positions in the RCC Secretariat. The RCC strategy was also approved by the Ministers of Foreign ...


19 May 2008
Three-day SEECP summit events start in Pomorie, Bulgaria news

On 19 May 2008, the political directors of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) are meeting in Pomorie, Bulgaria, to prepare for the Ministerial and Summit meetings on 20 and 21 May. At the same time, on 20 May, the RCC Board is expected to adopt a report by the RCC Secretary General Hido Biscevic on transformation of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe into the Regional ...


28 Apr 2008
RFE/RL report on RCC interview


27 Feb 2008
Declaration on RCC establishment, its participants, and Statute declaration/decision

Annex I and Annex II amended by the RCC Board on 28 February 2013