Durbin Joins Shaheen For Final Codel To Western Balkans

Durbin Joins Shaheen For Final Codel To Western Balkans

SARAJEVO - This week, U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) is joining U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for a congressional delegation trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, and Kosovo. This will be Durbin's final congressional delegation trip as a United States Senator. Durbin previously traveled to the Balkans in 1999 and 2009.

During the trip, the Senators will meet with government officials, U.S. diplomatic personnel, civil society representatives, and young leaders to discuss regional security, democratic institutions, economic opportunity, and relations with the United States. Meetings will address the European Union accession processes, NATO cooperation, energy diversification, and implementation of the Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act, enacted as part of the Fiscal Year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The delegation will visit the Srebrenica Memorial Center and Cemetery at Potocari and attend a performance by the House of Good Tones.

"Senator Shaheen has been a champion in the Senate at keeping attention on the Balkan region, and I am pleased to join her for this timely trip-just days after an election in Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Durbin. "Many have forgotten about the terrible violence in the region after the breakup of the former Yugoslavia. And while a number of the ensuing independent nations have notably joined NATO and the European Union, many challenges remain three decades after the signing of the Dayton Accords. Our visit will demonstrate continued U.S. interest in seeing progress and continued healing in the region."

"I first traveled to the Western Balkans as a Senator in 2010 with Senator George Voinovich, and I'm glad that my final delegation as Ranking Member will be to this critical region," said Shaheen. "On this visit, Senator Durbin and I will meet with officials, young leaders and civil society representatives to discuss security, economic opportunity and their countries' relationships with the United States."

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