„Bridging Gaps, Bridging Europe: Hungary, Croatia, and the Strategic Enlargement of the Western Balkans”

The Hungarian Embassy in Zagreb and the Hungarian Institute of International Affairs organized the conference „Bridging Gaps, Bridging Europe: Hungary, Croatia, and the Strategic Enlargement of the Western Balkans” which took place in the Liszt Institute - Hungarian Cultural Centre Zagreb, on 28th November, 2024..

The conference intended to highlight the priority of the 2024 Hungarian EU Presidency on the enlargement policy based on the common understanding that both Hungary and Croatia are interested in keeping Enlargement one of the most successful policies of the EU. We also aimed to improve the EU's image in the Western-Balkans and maintaining the credibility of the enlargement policy.

The conference summoned high-ranking Hungarian and Croatian governmental representatives in charge of the region, along with experts and diplomats dealing especially with integration support and knowledge transfer activities regarding EU candidate countries.

In the first Panel discussion called: From Decline to Resilience: Tackling Geopolitical and Societal Challenges in the Western Balkans intended to reflect on the similarities of the challenges faced by the European Union and the countries of the region. The second Panel under the title: Anchoring Stability: Hungary and Croatia’s Roles in Western Balkan EU Integration Amid Geopolitical Shifts - by presenting the examples of Hungary and Croatia - emphasized the importance of the active support of individual Member States in helping the candidate countries to overcome the challenges arising from both the accession process and the overall political-economic circumstances.