Podgorica, Montenegro – Green Inter-Party Parliamentary Groups (GPGs) from across the Western Balkans gathered today in Podgorica for the closing event of the regional project “Capacity Development of Informal WB Green Parliamentary Groups on EU-compliant Energy and Transport Goals.”
The meeting marked a significant milestone in advancing regional cooperation and aligning energy and transport policies with the European Union’s Green Agenda, with a clear focus on accelerating the green energy transition and decarbonization efforts across the region.
Regional Collaboration for a Common Green Future
The event provided a platform for reflecting on progress made and identifying key challenges in the region’s path toward decarbonization. A central takeaway was the recognition that regional cooperation remains one of the most viable solutions for effectively implementing climate and energy goals.
The Green Deal Panel, titled “Green Parliamentary Groups and the Energy Transition Process in the WB in Light of the New Geopolitical Constellation,” offered a candid screening of each country’s progress. While political commitment was acknowledged, participants emphasized that implementation lags behind promises in most Western Balkan countries—with Albania standing out for its notable advancements in harnessing renewable energy sources.
Macedonian Parliamentarian Toni Jarevski highlighted the positive momentum in North Macedonia, where rising energy costs and the ongoing energy crisis have spurred public and private interest in renewables. He reported that renewable energy now constitutes 55.7% of Macedonia’s energy production, a significant jump from 37% in 2020. He also announced that a new Law on Renewable Energy Sources is currently under parliamentary review—an essential step toward the country’s long-term decarbonization ambitions.
Project Achievements and Gender-Inclusive Green Policies
Jasna Sekulovic, Component Manager for the Western Balkans at GIZ, reflected on more than a decade of development in the energy and transport sectors. She shared some of the project’s key outcomes, including established cooperation with the Energy Community Secretariat and Transport Community and the creation of a joint Action Plan among the WB Green Parliamentary Groups. The Action Plan prioritizes just energy transition, energy efficiency, energy poverty reduction, and sustainable transport planning.
Parliamentarians involved in the project also actively advocated for environmental policies that promote sustainability and social inclusion. Throughout the project, MPs engaged in public campaigns, media appearances, and podcasts to raise awareness about climate action, often addressing gender dimensions in green jobs and energy transition policies.
Macedonian MP Velika Stojkova Serafimovska emphasized the region’s shared cultural and natural heritage, both of which are under threat from climate change. She called for greater collaboration among Western Balkan countries, especially through parliamentary networks, to preserve these shared values and natural resources.
At the close of the event, all attending Green Parliamentarians reaffirmed their commitment to supporting capital investments in renewable energy and to strengthening regional cooperation in energy and climate policy.
A Platform for Regional Dialogue
This project created a much-needed platform for dialogue among Green Parliamentary Groups, encouraging cross-border collaboration and raising public awareness on issues such as energy efficiency and sustainable urban mobility. The initiative was launched in the context of the Sofia Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, reinforcing the regional dimension of environmental action.
The project “Capacity Development of Informal Green Parliamentary Group in North Macedonia on EU-compliant Energy and Transport Goals” was financially supported by the German Federal Government, through the Open Regional Fund for South-East Europe – Energy, Transport and Climate Protection (ORF-ETC).
