The 3rd Balkan Rural Parliament was held

From June 12 to 15, 2023, the 3rd Balkan Rural Parliament was held in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Organized by the Balkan Network for Rural Development, with the support of GIZ (German Society for International Cooperation), the summit gathered around 90 representatives of civil society, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, local food producers, national government organizations and EU institutions.

The Balkan Rural Parliament, in the spirit of rural parliaments throughout Europe, aims to express the voice of rural communities in the region, to promote self-help and action of rural people and to ensure that their needs and interests are reflected in rural development policies.

The topics discussed by the participants at the 3rd Balkan Rural Parliament were focused on the needs and challenges that are of central importance for rural development processes in the Western Balkans, primarily focusing on four main topics: efforts to implement the EU LEADER approach; implementation of the Green Agenda for the countries of the Western Balkans; food security and rural gastronomy as potential paths for sustainable rural development; and challenges and opportunities for women and youth in rural areas.

The Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, which is in line with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal, includes action plans on climate, energy, mobility, circular economy, pollution removal, sustainable agriculture and food systems and biodiversity protection.