Skopje – The leaders of the South East European Cooperation Process (SEECP) praised the work of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) and commended the dedication and commitment of its Secretary General Majlinda Bregu over her tenure. Participants highlighted RCC’s role in the achievements of the Common Regional Market as a stepping stone towards the EU Single Market, and acknowledged the progress of the four Western Balkans mobility agreements achieved under the steer of the RCC. Leaders endorsed the appointment of Amer Kapetanovic as the new Secretary General of the RCC, starting on 1 January 2025, at their summit held in Skopje today. SEECP Ministers of Foreign Affairs appointed Kapetanovic at their meeting held earlier today. In this post, Kapetanovic will succeed Majlinda Bregu, who has been serving as the RCC Secretary General since 1 January 2019.

"I want to congratulate my esteemed colleague Amer on the appointment and wish him the best of luck and success as my successor at the helm of the RCC starting next year. This is not an easy job, but is a rewarding one. Working together for the past almost 6 years, we can proudly say that RCC and regional cooperation yielded many important results for the citizens of our region. Yet, a long way is still ahead of us," said RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu. 

"As we are running against the clock, we at the RCC are working at full speed on a boosted Action Plan for a functional Common Regional Market (CRM), a precondition for closer integration with the EU Single Market and an important pillar of the Growth Plan. I am confident that this new phase of the Common Regional Market will underpin the region’s growth and strengthen its security," added Bregu. 

"Regional cooperation should not be just about signing agreements; full implementation of the commitments, such as those on freedom of movement, is a must! Credibility is at stake, and persistent stalemates and blockages are no longer affordable," concluded Bregu.

The SEECP leaders, as well as foreign ministers, praised the excellent work of the RCC, adopted and endorsed the organisation's Annual Report, and expressed gratitude for the outstanding efforts of the incumbent RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu in leading the RCC over the past almost six years that profiled the RCC as an indispensable partner and the driving force of regional cooperation in South East Europe. 

The SEEP leaders adopted the Declaration underlining dedication to the European integration process, expressed commitment to regional security and advancing economic cooperation and connectivity, and acknowledged importance of RCC’s involvement, dedication, and support in promoting and enhancing connectivity in a political, economic, social and cultural sense. Leaders affirmed RCC-coordinated Common Regional Market as the key instrument of economic integration within the Western Balkans, and recognised human security and resilience as the new priorities of South East Europe 2030 Strategy bringing focus to regional resilience.

Newly-elected RCC Secretary General, Amer Kapetanovic, has been a career diplomat for the last 25 years, serving in various high-ranking diplomatic positions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the past six years, he has served as the Political Director of the RCC. Kapetanovic is also the author of several books and numerous articles.