Newsroom
Bringing civil society into the Stability Pact process
SARAJEVO 28 July 1999
SARAJEVO, 28 July 1999 - Representatives of civil society organizations across Southeastern Europe called on Wednesday for greater involvement by non-state actors in the development and implementation of the Stability Pact. At a press conference organized by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe during this week's Stability Pact Summit in Sarajevo, participants stressed that stronger non-governmental participation is essential if the goals of the Stability Pact are to be achieved.
Participants, including representatives from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, also discussed the outcomes of three recent civil society conferences on the Stability Pact. The first, which took place in Tuzla on July 9-10, concluded with the establishment of the Council for Democratic Alternative for Stability in Southeast Europe, which will be based in Sarajevo and support regional initiatives within the framework of the Stability Pact. The second conference, held in Ljubljana from July 18-20, took the form of a "Europa South-East" policy forum aimed at offering concrete policy advice on a range of Stability Pact issues. The third conference was organized in Bratislava by the East-West Institute and focused on the future of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the context of the Stability Pact. The conference concluding document calls for a "re-engagement" with civil society actors within Yugoslavia.
Ambassador Robert Barry, in his capacity as the OSCE regional co-ordinator for Southeastern Europe, also participated in the press conference. "We certainly applaud the work of non-governmental organizations in support of the goals of the Stability Pact," he stated. "If the countries of Southeastern Europe are to achieve political stability, sustainable peace, and substantive democracy, they will need support from all levels of society."
Participants, including representatives from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, also discussed the outcomes of three recent civil society conferences on the Stability Pact. The first, which took place in Tuzla on July 9-10, concluded with the establishment of the Council for Democratic Alternative for Stability in Southeast Europe, which will be based in Sarajevo and support regional initiatives within the framework of the Stability Pact. The second conference, held in Ljubljana from July 18-20, took the form of a "Europa South-East" policy forum aimed at offering concrete policy advice on a range of Stability Pact issues. The third conference was organized in Bratislava by the East-West Institute and focused on the future of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the context of the Stability Pact. The conference concluding document calls for a "re-engagement" with civil society actors within Yugoslavia.
Ambassador Robert Barry, in his capacity as the OSCE regional co-ordinator for Southeastern Europe, also participated in the press conference. "We certainly applaud the work of non-governmental organizations in support of the goals of the Stability Pact," he stated. "If the countries of Southeastern Europe are to achieve political stability, sustainable peace, and substantive democracy, they will need support from all levels of society."