LJUBLJANA, Nov 29 (Hina) - Over 100 law experts, governmental officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations as well as experts from several international institutions are attending a conference on constitutional and
legal aspects of the stability in southeastern Europe, which commenced on Monday at Brdo kod Kranja, Slovenia. The conference has been organised by Slovene authorities supported by the Council of Europe's Commission for democratisation with the help of law (the so-called Venetian Commission). Participants in the event were addressed during the plenary session, by the Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeastern Europe, Bodo Hombach, who thanked the hosts for the organisation of the event and voiced optimism about long-term objectives of the Stability Pact. Hombach told the participants in the conference and later reporters that the Stability Pact pr
LJUBLJANA, Nov 29 (Hina) - Over 100 law experts, governmental
officials and representatives of non-governmental organisations
as well as experts from several international institutions are
attending a conference on constitutional and legal aspects of the
stability in southeastern Europe, which commenced on Monday at Brdo
kod Kranja, Slovenia.
The conference has been organised by Slovene authorities supported
by the Council of Europe's Commission for democratisation with the
help of law (the so-called Venetian Commission).
Participants in the event were addressed during the plenary
session, by the Co-ordinator of the Stability Pact for Southeastern
Europe, Bodo Hombach, who thanked the hosts for the organisation of
the event and voiced optimism about long-term objectives of the
Stability Pact.
Hombach told the participants in the conference and later reporters
that the Stability Pact presented a framework for more intensive
cooperation among states in the region.
According to this German diplomat, such cooperation as well as
respect for human rights, minorities' rights, development of the
market economy and social society are important for these
countries' bids to enter EuroAtlantic institutions.
Hombach added that the world community was willing and ready to
financially assist the region. He announced a financial conference
for February or March 2000 when economic projects should be chosen
to be financed within the Pact.
The German diplomat stressed that the Stability Pact did not
discover anything new but sought better regional cooperation
respecting differences of countries in transition. He added that it
was in no way a club of second-class countries in front of the door
of the European Union, what some feared.
Since the establishment of the Pact in Sarajevo when its political
foundations were laid, unexpected progress has been made, he
claimed citing the examples of "investment card", incentives to
business, an anti-corruption initiative, the identification of
cross-regional infrastructure jobs, and an action plan for private
sector.
According to Hombach, the Pact is bringing new forms of work and
cooperation in the coming millennium and it depends on countries in
the region whether they will grab a chance.
The conference ends on Tuesday afternoon with the adoption of a
declaration.
Stanko Nik, a Croatian representative to the Venetian Commission,
attends at this conference, on behalf of Croatia.
(hina) ms