Academy for Democratic Development:Alternative and response to non-paper: a shared vision of the future
The Regional Academy for Democratic Development, founded by leaders, MPs, ministers, officials and civil society activists from Montenegro, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia and Kosovo, held a conference on 21, 22 and 23 May in Herceg-Novi in Montenegro, during which it responded to a non-paper that appeared in public and further disturbed the region by redrawing the borders in the Balkans using the long-outdated concept of creating states according to the ethnic principle that had
Members of the Academy for Democratic Development are convinced that the answer to the question of what state does for its citizens is much more important than the answer to the question of how big the state is and that the only alternative to changing borders according to ethnic principles can be offering joint long-term policies that will democratize and modernize all of the states pf the region and make them truly and indivisible parts of the Europe. During the meeting, they worked on developing common answers to the numerous problems faced by citizens in this part of Europe who see the only alternative in leaving the region.
ADD emphasized that an alternative to drawing borders according to the ethnic lines and provoking further conflicts, which is the concept offered by outdated traditional political elites in the Balkans, must be a clear vision of development based on democracy, the rule of law, respect for human freedoms, a dignified life, equality, peace, stable institutions and respect of the European values. This requires not only a change of policies, but also the overall concept of understanding politics, government and acceptance of the ethics of responsibility by elected representatives of citizens in this area. This means that today there is a gap between the traditional political elites in our countries and the citizens and their needs and interests.
Some of the participants of the Conference and founders of the Academy for Democratic Development are: Minister of Justice in the Government of North Macedonia Bojan Maricik, Deputy Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council Tanja Miscevic, Member of the BiH Parliament Sasa Magazinovic, member of the Croatian Parliament Bojan Glavasevic, former Minister of European Affairs in the Government of Montenegro Aleksandar Andrija Pejović, former Deputy Prime Minister of Albania Senida Messi, former Members of the Serbian Parliament Balša Božović and Dr. Aleksandra Jerkov, State Secretary for European Integration in the Government of North Macedonia Kalinka Gaber, Vice President of SD Women Slovenia Mija Javornik, Vice President of the Council for Inclusive Governance of Shpetim Gashi, from Kosovo, representatives of the civil sector as well as partner NGOs from all countries in the region
The conference took place within the project “Regional Agenda 2020-2030”, which is supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Serbia and Montenegro, Olof Palme International Center and the Fried
