The first session of the “Türkiye-Balkans Media Forum”, organised by the Directorate of Communications, was held.
At the first session, "Türkiye’s Friendly Hand Approach to the Balkans from the Perspective of Public Diplomacy," Ambassador Yağmur Ahmet Güldere, Director General for the Balkans and Central Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, addressed the participants, stating that they had gathered to discuss the media sector and emphasising that peace and stability in the Balkans are of great importance to Türkiye.
Güldere underlined that the welfare of the Balkans is the welfare of Türkiye, saying, "Türkiye conducts extensive activities in the Balkans. We support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the region's countries and advocate for regional solutions to regional problems.''
Güldere stated that Türkiye maintains close cooperation with the Balkans in the fields of trade and economy as well, noting that in 2024, investments in the countries of the region reached 20 billion dollars, while the foreign trade volume amounted to 35 billion dollars.
Articulating Türkiye's endorsement of NATO's Peacekeeping Force in Kosovo (KFOR) and the European Union Peacekeeping Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (EUFOR), Güldere expressed hope that the media forum could foster innovative developments.
Emphasising Türkiye's constructive role in the region, Assoc. Prof Jahja Muhasilovic from the International University of Sarajevo, Department of International Relations,
in his address at the session on “Türkiye's Friendly Hand Approach to the Balkans from the Perspective of Public Diplomacy”, stated that Türkiye stands out as an important power both in the region and in the international arena.
Alteo Hysi, the Director General of the Media and Information Agency of the Republic of Albania, stated that Albania and Türkiye have established strong cooperation in numerous fields in the past, present, and future.
Pointing out that Türkiye plays a constructive role both in the international arena and in the region, Hysi emphasised that Türkiye continues to play this constructive role between Russia and Ukraine in a strong manner.
Milica Marinović, the Media Advisor to the President of Montenegro, stated that those working in the field of media have the responsibility to represent their countries in the best way in the international arena and said, "Türkiye's support in public diplomacy is important for us. It is also meaningful for us to work together and take part in joint initiatives. This forum is one of those initiatives."
Stating that public diplomacy is a “strategic plan”, Marinović said, "I believe that Türkiye is well-experienced in this field. There are numerous areas in which we can collaborate with Türkiye. We work in the field of communication, and our mission is to contribute to communication between people."
Senka Pavlović Ćotrić, a journalist and independent media consultant from Serbia, stated that relations between Serbia and Türkiye are currently in a "golden age" and added that the Serbian language consists of over 3,000 Turkish words.