Bregu: The best investment in the Western Balkans is creating conditions for young people to stay

SARAJevo, (Patria) - We have failed to create a system of opportunities for these young people to work and be engaged in their society in the region, and they rightly expect that from us, said the Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the opening of the conference "How to better respond to the European aspirations of the young generation in the Western Balkans?" organized by Romania as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in partnership with the Regional Cooperation Council.

Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) Majlinda Bregu at the opening of the conference "How to better respond to the European aspirations of the young generation in the Western Balkans?" organized by Romania as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in partnership with the Regional Cooperation Council.

That is the least we can do for our future," Bregu said, the RCC announced.

"Our data shows that out of more than 700,000 jobs created in the Western Balkans since 2012, only 4.3% went to people under 24 years of age. This clearly explains the growing concern of the region's citizens regarding the outflow of highly qualified labor, which has reached 13 percent compared to 0 percent just five years ago, as shown by the latest edition of the Balkan Barometer, a survey conducted by the Regional Cooperation Council. On the other hand, over two-thirds of young people in the Western Balkans believe in the benefits of European Union membership, which they associate with opportunities to travel, study, and work abroad. It is time to unite and work together to create opportunities for young people to stay, study, and work at home, and this is the best investment in our region," Bregu said.

As an integral part of the conference, the Regional Cooperation Council organized a multimedia exhibition of a joint regional offer of cultural tourism, which is currently being prepared by the tourism development and promotion project implemented by this organization and funded by the European Union.

As part of the cultural segment of the conference, the Regional Cooperation Council awarded prizes to the three winners of the "Can't Wait for Summer" best photo or video competition, who were voted the most successful in promoting Southeast Europe as an attractive tourist destination. The winners, Jyrgen Belegu (first prize), Adil Brahimi (second prize), and Isidora Ilić (third prize), had the opportunity to present themselves and their work to the conference participants.

Around 200 young people from the Western Balkans gathered at the conference dedicated to youth, and the main topics were youth employment, youth entrepreneurship, their innovations, and newly established businesses. The conference is being held on May 28 and 29, 2019, in Bucharest, Romania.

The conference is the result of cooperation between Romania as the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, represented by State Secretary Dănuţ Sebastian Neculăescu and his team, the Regional Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), and the Regional Cooperation Council.