Director of IFIMES participated in the international business conference "Common Regional Market"

Press release

Director of IFIMES participated in the international business conference "Common Regional Market"

LJUBLJANA/SARAJEVO, 27 June 2024 – Director of the International Institute for Middle Eastern and Balkan Studies (IFIMES)[1] prof. dr. Zijad Bećirović participated in the 45th manifestation for the "The best manager and personality of Southeast and Central Europe", where leading managers and public figures from Europe gathered. As part of the event, an international business conference entitled "Common Regional Market" was held. In addition to the honorable chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee, Stjepan Mesić, former President of the Republic of Croatia, the conference was chaired by Nandino Škrbić, chairman of the Conference Organizing Committee. Director Bećirović, as a member of the working presidency of the conference, gave a presentation on the importance of a common regional market on the way to full EU membership for the countries of the region. 

In order to improve regional economic and other cooperation and affirmation of the European idea and values, with the ultimate goal of the remaining countries of South-Eastern and Central Europe becoming members of the European Union, the following conclusions were reached:

• Strengthening the common market with the removal of all existing barriers that make life and business difficult;
• We call on all actors to create a positive business environment in the region and create a positive credit and investment rating;
• We call for the synchronized action of politics and business in the function of general social progress;
• We support the initiative to establish the European Fund for Development, which would enable the financing and development of companies and businesses, which would be focused exclusively on the establishment of joint ventures in the region. This would bring people closer together, which would contribute to lasting peace and long-term stability in Southeast Europe. The fund would have an open character and would attract European and American investors, which would be an additional incentive for the strong development of the region;
• We support the establishment of the Fund for the Preservation and Development of Family Companies, which would enable the survival of family companies and ensure continuity, i.e. the transfer of business from one generation to the next. This initiative will be addressed to the governments of the region, or to the EU institutions, so that this problem could be systematically solved at the EU level;
• Inclusion of all Southeastern European countries and participation in the international exhibition EXPO 2027 in Belgrade;
• The perspective of EU membership is the best possible mechanism for ensuring permanent stability". If in 2004 European leaders had the strength and courage to collectively admit 10 countries to EU membership, then 20 years later we see no obstacle for the countries of the Western Balkans with a total of 16 million inhabitants not to be admitted to EU membership soon, which would be an additional incentive for the later membership of Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia in the EU.

The conclusions of the conference were adopted and it was submitted that the prominent businessman, philanthropist and visionary Bogoljub Karić, founder and president of BK Group, should be at the head of the European Development Fund and the Regional Development and Economic Council, which will be at the disposal to governments in order to make Southeast and Central Europe its citizens richer and happier.

At the event, high international awards were presented to managers and public figures, among them the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon.

Ljubljana/Sarajevo, 27  June 2024           

[1] IFIMES - The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies, based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council ECOSOC/UN, New York, since 2018 and is the publisher of the international scientific journal "European Perspectives".