President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova addressed the Paris Peace Forum during a panel discussion titled “Holding the Line: Sovereignty in an Era of Hybrid Threats”.
She noted that the world is currently in a period of profound transformation, where old models are becoming exhausted, while new ones have yet to take shape.
Drawing on Antonio Gramsci’s concept of an “interregnum”, Siljanovska-Davkova warned that such periods open up space for a political vacuum and geopolitical risks and emphasized that “a political vacuum never lasts long”, a point that holds particularly true for the Balkans.
Addressing the region’s European perspective, the President said that the countries of the so-called Western Balkans are not a periphery of Europe, but rather a natural geographical, historical and cultural part thereof.
Siljanovska-Davkova pointed out that the country has held candidate status for 21 years and has received 17 positive reports; yet, despite this, the negotiation process is still not open. Addressing the numerous constitutional amendments, Siljanovska-Davkova raised a fundamental dilemma regarding sovereignty and democratic legitimacy, reminding the audience that the Constitution is not merely the supreme legal act, but also a social contract.
“My sovereignty stems from the citizens and belongs to the citizens. My legitimacy does as well”, the President said, calling for the rule of law and respect for human rights and freedoms.
Rather than simply demanding that Western Balkan countries become more resilient, the European Union should strengthen their resilience by accelerating their EU integration process.
The President warned that in the modern world characterized by artificial intelligence, digitalization and new forms of hybrid threats, the response cannot be limited to external resilience as it must also encompass internal democratic and institutional strength.
Responding to a question about protests in several European countries in which young people are particularly active, she emphasized that they should not be viewed merely as “the future”, but rather as equal participants in the present and in decision-making processes.
According to her, the approach toward youth must be based on respect, equality, encouragement and their active participation in decision-making. For her, dialogue between generations is a prerequisite for survival in a world that can no longer be built on isolation.
Ultimately, she stated that Europe cannot be complete without a stable and democratic Western Balkans, and that European security cannot be separated from the security of the region.
The Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and the Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan also participated in the panel discussion.
