Trieste

Reporting about the Western Balkans Summit in Trieste, German newspaper Die Welt writes that "the EU wants to create a new mini-Yugoslavia in the Balkans."

This is according to Croatia's Index website, that said the summit brought together "the countries of the Western Balkans, as well as the leaders of Germany, France and Italy, and Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic."

The World Bank has "praised the program of reforms that the Serbian government implemented and highlighted the importance of further progress on its EU path."

The World Bank has "praised the program of reforms that the Serbian government implemented and highlighted the importance of further progress on its EU path."

BELGRADE - Serbian PM Ana Brnabic Monday spoke with Italian Ambassador to Serbia Giuseppe Manzo, who congratulated her on becoming PM and conveyed a personal message from Italy's PM Paolo Gentiloni.

Reporting about the Western Balkans Summit in Trieste, German newspaper Die Welt writes that "the EU wants to create a new mini-Yugoslavia in the Balkans."

Italy warned Wednesday that the European Union must keep its doors open to eventual membership for Western Balkan countries or risk allowing Russia and other global powers to increase their influence in the region.

Prime Minister Ana Brnabic has told the Western Balkans Summit that Serbia is committed to regional cooperation.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the European Union is committed to bring the Western Balkans region "slowly but surely" to EU membership, reported BGNES.

"Political stability in the region means political stability for us as well. We know this from the past experience, "she said at the European Forum for the Western Balkans in the Italian city of Trieste.

Johannes Hahn, Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations has told Deutsche Welle that the EU would finance the construction of a railway linking Bulgaria and Macedonia, which is part of a Pan-European Corridor 8, stretching between the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and the Adriatic coast of Albania, quoted by BGNES.

The EU is preparing the Western Balkan countries for the day when they will become a part of the EU's single economic system, EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said in Trieste Wednesday, adding that an additional EUR 220 million had been secured for countries of the region, reported Tanjug.