LJUBLJANA, 15 November 2011 - Directors of the International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) from Ljubljana Bakhatyar Aljaf and Zijad Bećirović today received Serbia's former Prime Minister Zoran Živković who became member of the Advisory Board of IFIMES International Institute. The Advisory Board is composed of distinguished representatives from the region and the world.
During the lengthy conversation the speakers exchanged views of the current events in Serbia and the West Balkans and devoted special attention to the process of Serbia's accession to the European Union and the forthcoming parliamentary election in this country. IFIMES Directors presented the activities of the Institute and new projects planned for 2012, whereby they laid stress on the West Balkans where the Institute will be especially active on the projects related to the EU accession process and to fighting organised crime and corruption. In 2012 IFIMES will also further strengthen its activities in the Middle East through its democratisation projects related to that region.
Moreover, IFIMES Directors presented the project of analysing and monitoring pre-and post-election events in Serbia which are of great importance for peace and stability in the region.
IFIMES Directors commended Zoran Živković for his activities during his government which was assessed as the best government in Serbia after the assassination of the first democratically elected Serbia's Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić, as well as for the activities which he has undertaken in the field of civil society since his term of office as Prime Minister ended.
Ljubljana, 15 November 2011
