The final regional conference for the third phase of the joint European Union and Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” (Horizontal Facility III) was held in Tirana under the title “Advancing Reforms through the EU–Council of Europe Partnership – Lessons and a Vision for the Future”.
The Conference brought together representatives of institutions from the region and international organisations in order to review the results of ten years of cooperation between the European Union and the Council of Europe, as well as to discuss the next steps in reforms concerning the rule of law, democracy, and the protection of human rights. The exchange of experiences served as an opportunity to acknowledge the results achieved, as well as to examine the priorities and challenges that will shape the next phase of the programme, which is scheduled to begin in 2027.
A delegation of the Republic of Serbia also participated in the Conference. Assistant Minister of Education Prof. Snežana Vuković, PhD, who is responsible for the prevention of and protection against violence, as well as for the inclusion of vulnerable groups in education, presented Serbia’s experiences in developing inclusive and safe education, combating discrimination, and strengthening democratic culture in schools through this programme, while Dragana Stefanović, the national programme coordinator representing the Ministry of European Integration, participated in discussions regarding the future direction of the programme and cooperation priorities for the next phase.
Serbia’s participation in this gathering served as an opportunity to present its experiences in the implementation of reforms thus far, as well as to contribute to the discussion on further support for institutions in the region. Cooperation with the European Union and the Council of Europe is important for improving institutional capacities and implementing European standards, with the aim of ensuring that changes in the areas of the rule of law, democracy, and human rights are visible in the daily lives of citizens.
The completion of the third phase of the programme opens the way for continued cooperation and defining of priorities for the coming period, building upon the results achieved thus far and the experience gained in implementing reforms.
