At the Summit of Western Balkan countries held on 12 July in Trst, Business forum was organized in which the CGES Chairwoman Vesna Bracanović took part. Participants in the Business forum welcomed the initiative of Berlin process, as well as the significance of active participation of Western Balkan countries and a possibility of achieving positive results in the process of interconnection between the companies in the region and the companies in EU.
A standing Secretariat of Western Balkan Chamber Investment Forum was inaugurated at the Summit, which represents further implementation of Berlin process in strengthening regional cooperation in the Western Balkan.
A ceremonial inauguration of the Secretariat, hosted by Velimir Mijušković, president of Commercial Chamber of Montenegro and his colleagues from the region, was attended by deputy prime ministers of governments of countries from the region and ministers of economy, representatives of the European Commission, chairwoman of CGES Board of Directors, and other Italian partners, officials and businessmen.
Following the inauguration of the Secretariat, a panel discussion "Towards a regional economic space in the Western Balkan – a milestone towards accessing EU" was held, in which Vesna Bracanović chairwoman of CGES Board of Directors took part.
Representatives of the companies from the region proposed specific recommendations and solutions to create a regional economic space tailored to economy to become an instrument for faster development, competitiveness and employment.
Vesna Bracanović, chairwoman of Board of Directors of Crnogorski elektroprenosni sistem presented the significance of the implementation of the project of interconnection between electric power systems in Montenegro and Italy by constructing an undersea cable with Italy and the associated infrastructures for the whole region. This is the project officially recognized as the project of common interest for the European Union, which gains in importance by taking on the role of an initial trigger which has opened a new infrastructural road – Trans-Balkan corridor, officially recognized as the project of common interest for the Energy Community, or the Western Balkan countries.
Chairwoman of CGES Board of Directors pointed out that the policy of constructing bridges with neighbouring countries, specifically the energy ones, through interconnection with Italy, and then with Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, proved to be the only adequate one, because no economic growth and efficient meeting of increasing domestic needs was possible without integration in a single European market and cooperation with neighbouring countries.
As for the regional cooperation, Vesna Bracanović pointed out that CGES was aware of the significance and need for regional cooperation.
“CGES is the company that cooperates with transmission operators from neighbouring countries through Coordinated Auction Office in South East Europe and regional Security Cooperation Centre – SCC d.o.o, and establishes other forms of cooperation as well. What is particularly important in the light of the connectivity agenda with neighbouring countries and EU countries, is that by implementing interconnection with Italy, and then with Serbia and B&H, CGES will contribute to the integration in the European market, as well as to the development of regional electricity market. Thus, we fully support a key priority of our country, which is finalization of membership process to EU, participating in and supporting regional initiatives” emphasized Bracanović.
