(Adnkronos) – The Foreign Ministers of Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, North Macedonia, and Romania have adopted a joint declaration on Corridor VIII. The document reaffirmed ”our commitment to close cooperation and good neighborly relations”, emphasizing that ”Corridor VIII is a strategic east-west axis connecting the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea and a fundamental component of the Ten-T network that contributes to stability, prosperity, and security in Southeast Europe”.
The document reiterated that ”Corridor VIII holds strategic importance from a political, economic, and security perspective, contributing to regional cooperation for European cohesion and the gradual integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union” and it was emphasized that ”the coordinated and timely implementation of Corridor VIII fills long-standing connectivity gaps in Southeast Europe, while strengthening the credibility, visibility, and tangible impact of the EU’s increased commitment to fully integrate the region into the common European space of security, stability, and prosperity”. The ministers then stressed that ”this strategic infrastructure project constitutes a fundamental framework for building political trust, strengthening good neighborly relations, and promoting contacts between people, especially among young people”.
In this context, the ministers ”strongly condemned Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and support international political and diplomatic efforts aimed at securing an agreement that ends the conflict, paving the way for lasting peace and a future of prosperity for Ukraine and its people”.
The ministers therefore ”recognized the importance of regional economic integration, in line with the four freedoms of the European Union, as a fundamental driver of sustainable growth, competitiveness, and economic convergence” and recognized ”the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region as important markets and transit areas for European and international trade”. The note also emphasizes that ”Corridor VIII is a fundamental infrastructure project that facilitates trade flows, improves logistical efficiency, and strengthens regional and European supply chains. By connecting productive capacities and labor markets, it promotes economic interdependence while strengthening regional resilience, even in times of crisis and emergency”.
The ministers also ”agreed that investments in sustainable, resilient, and interoperable infrastructure, in line with the EU’s economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans and the growth plan, are essential to support the gradual integration of the region into the EU single market”. They then stressed that ”intermodal connectivity is essential to strengthen regional cooperation and generate common growth, improving competitiveness, supporting decarbonization, and bringing tangible benefits through closer economic and institutional cooperation across the region”.
Regarding security, the ministers reiterated ”our strong commitment to Corridor VIII as a priority for improving military mobility, resilience, and connectivity, within the framework of enhanced cooperation between the EU and NATO, directly contributing to the security of the Alliance’s southeastern and eastern flanks, both in peacetime and in times of crisis and conflict”. It is recognized that ”improved connectivity and protection of infrastructure along Corridor VIII has a direct implication for the execution of NATO’s regional plan and strengthens the collective capacity to safeguard critical infrastructure and to prevent and respond to hybrid threats, disinformation, irregular migration, and malicious third-party influence, in a security context where developments along Europe’s eastern borders have direct implications for the stability of the Western Balkans, the Black Sea, and the Mediterranean, which remain of strategic importance to NATO”.
The objective, they stressed, is to ”transform Corridor VIII into a strategic artery for connectivity, economic development, and prosperity in Europe, keeping it at the center of the political agenda at both national and European levels, demonstrating shared responsibility, long-term commitment, and a common strategic vision for the region”. The commitment is to ”intensify joint efforts to mobilize financial resources from EU instruments, including the Connecting Europe Facility, IPA III, and the Western Balkans Investment Framework, as well as from international financial institutions and public-private partnerships”.
Finally, it is decided to ”consolidate this five-party format as a structured high-level political platform for dialogue and cooperation and to continue periodic political and technical consultations to promptly advance Corridor VIII as a fully operational, resilient, and integrated axis of European connectivity and security”.
