We, representatives of non-governmental organizations from the Balkan countries, participants in the International Conference „The Balkans – for Peace, Security, Cooperation, and Partnership“, which took place in Sofia on 21 September 2023, having discussed the current situation in our region and the factors that directly and immediately affect it, we have come to the common understanding that our countries and peoples are facing unprecedented new challenges and opportunities.
Just kilometres away from us, in Ukraine, a war is raging.
This war represents a direct and immediate threat to the security of our region in all its aspects: military, economic, human.
It is in our common interest that this war end as soon as possible with a mutually acceptable and lasting peace.
We call on our governments to work towards this goal.
Wars have brought countless victims, suffering, and devastation to the Balkans.
The Balkan peoples have learned from the hard lessons of history.
Today, more than ever, we want peace – peace for our countries and peoples, peace with our neighbours, peace for Europe and the world.
The governments of the Balkan countries have a duty to guarantee the peace in the region today and now.
Towards this end, a new dialogue at the highest level is needed to lead to a mutual common understanding to achieve security for each and every one and to give a new impetus for the development of a real partnership for the development of the Balkans in Europe.
We urge the states, governments and the people in all Balkan countries to intensify the multilateral and bilateral cooperation and dialogue at all levels.
An open conversation is needed to achieve a common understanding of the region’s needs and to chart achievable development perspectives.
The Balkans could be the fastest growing region in Europe!
This requires, first of all, common will to achieve jointly agreed goals.
New initiatives of mutual interest for cooperation in culture, economic development, investment, and infrastructure are needed.
As non-governmental organizations, we declare our readiness to carry out joint projects in these areas, which will serve as an example and stimulate the expansion of direct contacts, cooperation and dialogue between people, communities, settlements and administrative regions and governments.
For this purpose, we decided to create a Partnership Network of Balkan non-governmental organizations working in the fields of security, economy, infrastructure, transport, energy, sports, health, education and ecology.
By creating this Network, our goal is to implement joint projects in areas where we have common and coinciding interests.
We rely on the participation, cooperation and support of our compatriots, governments, similar organizations and partners from neighbouring countries and regions and from the European Union.
Our interest and goal are to begin to rapidly jointly build the Balkans as an area of peace, security, cooperation, partnership, and prosperity in a united Europe.