Plan to control COVID-19 in the Western Balkans
Representatives of European academies of sciences met at the Berlin Process Joint Conference to talk about a plan to control COVID-19 in the Western Balkans. The conference was jointly organized by the Polish Academy of Sciences and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina.
On 1 and 2 July 2021 the so-called Berlin Process Joint Science Conference under the 2021 German Presidency of the Berlin Process was held in virtual format. It was attended by 60 representatives of European academies of sciences and universities, including Professor Jerzy Duszyński, PAS President, and Professor Gerald H. Haug, Leopoldina President.
The participants of the meeting exchanged their knowledge gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic, they also discussed about the role of science and education in the post-pandemic reality. 17 parties are currently involved in the Process: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Serbia, Slovenia and the United Kingdom as well as the European Commission.
The deliverable of the Conference is a Joint Statement to the Heads of State and Government meeting at the 8th Berlin Process Summit, taking place virtually on 5 July 2021. The recommendations were also submitted to the College of Commissioners of the European Commission.
Scientists and stakeholders recommend 10-Point Plan to Control COVID-19 in the Western Balkans. These recommendations include the need to introduce uniform regulations for people traveling within Europe (full vaccination, RT-PCR or Rapid Antigen Tests, EU Digital COVID Certificate would be a minimum condition), the need to inform citizens about the ongoing research on the virus, and the need to invest EU funds in the public health care system and highly qualified personnel.
