Friday, 4 December 2020
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT XHAFERI AT THE CONSTITUTIVE MEETING OF THE CLUB ON YOUTH AFFAIRS AND POLICIES
Dear Coordinators of Parliamentary Groups,
Dear Secretary General Ivanova,
Dear younger fellow MPs, and all of you who feel young,
Dear representatives of youth organizations,
Dear representatives of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, of the National Democratic Institute,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am glad that today, two months after the Working Meeting for MPs which actually was an introduction to the role and function of the Club on Youth Affairs and Policies, You, my dear young fellows, of course with the unconditional assistance from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy and the National Democratic Institution, today are holding the constitutive meeting of the Club within the new parliamentary composition. I am glad as first among equals to congratulate this act and to wish You a really fruitful and successful mandate, and you have a solid foundation for that. As I noted in the working meeting, here I refer to the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies adopted with the support of all parliamentary groups in the Assembly in January 2020, I imply the outcomes from the work of the previous Club towards promotion and advocacy of youth interests in international events, and thus updating the Club and establishing a Regional Network of Youth Clubs of the Parliaments of Western Balkans, the goal of which is to connect all Clubs with youth agenda in order to be set among high priorities of the Union and the countries of Western Balkans. Furthermore, the bilateral youth offices for cooperation, which are part and liabilities from the implementation of the Prespa Agreement, are an additional impulse and energy to establishing an intensive joint cooperation of the youth from the neighborhood, region and wider. 
Therefore, I urge you to use all available opportunities, to be open, to continue coordinating and briefing with institutions regarding the liabilities arising from the Law on Youth Participation and Youth Policies on whether they achieve to implement as it is adopted, whether they encounter difficulties, whether they maybe there is a need to make an amendment in order to adapt to the situation in the field, because, of course, theory does not always correspond to practice, and besides that, the circumstances change constantly, the needs change. That is why your role as legislators is important, for you to be the thread that connects all stakeholders, for the final result to be beneficial to all young people. Be their voice, support and the door at which they can freely knock and share their problem.
Dear colleagues,
Unfortunately, the situation with the COVID 19 pandemics, the risks to the health of our citizens, the negative impact on the health and economic system, however, the lasting consequences it will have in our lifestyle, way of work, socializing and functioning of the whole world due to the necessary health protocols due to which we change our habits, the way of functioning and cooperation, I believe they are already an established routine to you. We should get used to accept it as a new reality, namely to reduce the physical presence to minimum and practice and prefer virtual communication, which on the other hand has a huge advantage, i.e. the possibility to reach much larger target groups, and thus, sharing, informing and expanding positive experiences, cooperation, events and initiatives. Certainly, the support that can be obtained is far greater in this case. Therefore, I hope that in the new Work Program of the Club on Youth Affairs and Policies, you will dedicate enough space and attention to this current situation and that you will direct your activities towards building a positive working atmosphere, with harmonized and jointly achieved goals to be fulfilled in the upcoming period of work of the Club.
Dear colleagues,
Allow me to congratulate you on the constitution and wish You to achieve significant results in fulfilling the rights of the young people, to be inventive, creative and explore various ways to reach young people and to bring the Club on Youth Affairs and Policies closer to them. Be a good example for them, and for us – the older colleagues in the Assembly, and we will be by your side at your each future step and initiative taken.
I wish You a successful and fruitful work!
Thank You for Your attention!