Counter-Terrorism: The Commission to sign arrangements with Albania and North Macedonia as part of Joint Action Plan for the Western Balkans

Today, Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos will sign two arrangements with Albania and North Macedonia, implementing the Joint Action Plan on Counter-Terrorism for the Western Balkans. The arrangements will identify concrete priority actions for each Western Balkan partner in the area of counter-terrorism cooperation for 2019 and 2020 as well as support from the European Union. Both Albania and North Macedonia will report on a regular basis on the implementation of the arrangements. The arrangements to implement the Joint Action Plans on Counter-Terrorism with the other Western Balkan partners are also under preparation and expected to be signed soon. The wider Joint Action Plan for Western Balkans, signed in October 2018, provides an overarching framework for action on counter-terrorism and the prevention and countering of violent extremism in the Western Balkans region. This strengthened engagement on security is one of the six flagship initiatives in the Commission’s Strategy for the Western Balkans and answers the call of the Sofia Declaration of May 2018 for increased cooperation on countering terrorism and extremism. The arrangement with Albania will be signed at 13:00 and followed by a press point with Commissioner Avramopoulos and Minister of Interior of Albania, Sandër Lleshaj in the VIP corner. The arrangements with North Macedonia will be signed at 15:00 and followed by a press point with Commissioner Avramopoulos and Minister of Interior of North Macedonia, Oliver Spasovski in the VIP corner. Both ceremonies will be streamed on EBS+.