BALKAN ECONOMIC FORUM 2022, Skopje, North Macedonia, November 18, 2022.
Good morning. I am delighted to welcome you to the Balkan Economic Forum 2022 conference.
I founded this non-profit organization in 2014 for the purpose of bringing together some of the most talented and motivated individuals from government, industry and academia in the Balkan countries. The Balkan Economic Forum members represent the very essence of what the Irish poet William Butler Yeats described more than a century ago when he said “In dreams begin responsibilities”. Every one of our members represents organizations and institutions that are making enormous contributions to the development of our economies, the protection of our natural resources on which our economies depend, and the ever-widening Balkan business network.
My dream envisions a Balkan Peninsula with good governance, responsible economic growth, sustainable employment, environmentally sustainable development, regional cooperation and widening educational opportunities. To achieve these goals, the pathway to the future is sustainable development for our region. It offers a framework to generate economic growth, achieve social justice, exercise environmental stewardship and strengthen accountability.
Since the first Balkan Economic Forum conference, all Balkan States have made significant strides towards achieving this goal but just as our economies looked to a growth recovery beyond the pandemic, a new set of challenges confronted the region. Output for the Balkans as a whole has now surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but the response to COVID-19 has resulted in higher public debt and has left lasting scars. The war in Ukraine is sending shockwaves across the region, particularly through higher energy and food prices but also via disruption to trade and investment flows, putting the region’s recovery at risk. As Central Banks struggle to control inflation, the Eastern Mediterranean is once again filled with provocative language as a regional superpower is trying to flex its muscle and dominate the geopolitical field. It is not long ago that our region was associated with vulnerability and political upheaval. We proved to the world that out of our vulnerabilities came our strength to commit to peace and commit to a united future within the political and institutional framework of the European Union. The future couldn’t look brighter than it does right now.
Our organization presents the opportunity for a wonderful voyage of discovery as together we uncover the riches of our region and are strengthened by our differences as well as what binds us together as a people in one of the most diverse regions of Europe. We are all driven by the same dreams and aspirations. And what began here as a dream evolved into reality as our organization became infused with a collective energy from which sprang new ideas.
In this voyage, I have been blessed in making new friends and deriving inspiration from some incredible minds that share our vision and our hopes. Professor Sasho Kjosev is one of these people. At the end of my tenure, Professor Kjosev was elected as our new President with the enthusiastic support of our Board of Directors. We are very proud of his work and vision for our organization and we know that with the support of every member, the Balkan Economic Forum will maintain its elevated position as a forum of intellectual minds.
Together, we can collaborate toward an even brighter future as long as we remain mindful of history which has shown us that there will be no future if we remain divided. We are all made of the same clay, spirit and dreams and now we can all work for our common future. Regional exchange can be a source of growth and development, and of enhancing good governance.
An old African proverb says “if you want to go fast, go alone ... but if you want to go far, go together.” What started as a dream a few years ago, today celebrates its second gathering of motivated individuals committed to the sustainable economic development of the Balkan nations. This movement will succeed for those who embrace it and become part of it. We live in the most culturally diverse and naturally gifted part of Europe. Our strength lies in our diversity and in our determination to be part of the European family of democratic nations.
It is a great honor to declare this Balkan Economic Forum open.
Constantine Alexander
Founder
Balkan Economic Forum