The idea of “Mini-Schengen” was dropped repeatedly by Chancellor Merkel

A region of labour markets and unified systems, open borders, transport and trade facilities, attractive to foreign investors. A region aimed at co-operation among countries accelerate approach to living standards and EU values to cut membership time to this union. A Western Balkans, (BP) aimed at ensuring 4 fundamental freedoms: free movement of people, goods, services and capitals.

These goals were clearly expressed by leaders of four BP countries, participants at the Tirana Summit that finished its work Saturday (21.12.2019). Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic, Serbia's President Allexander Vuciq, the prime minister of Albania, the host country of the summit, Edi Rama and Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, agree on the need for effective functioning of the Balkan Mini-Schengen. They envision its realisation in practice as a strategy that will accelerate the region's economic and social development and the time of EU membership, which remains unchanged aspirations for all six of its countries.

Origin of Balkan Mini-Schengen

In fact, the initiative for creating “de jure” and “de facto” of the Balkan Mini-Schengen at its core is not new. Strengthening regional co-operation as an effective instrument for new impulses in the BP's EU integration process, German Chancellor Merkel for the first time in August 2014, when she launched the diplomatic initiative known as the Berlin Process. The basis of the current initiative is agreements reached within this process, but not completed, during the 5 years of this process. Leaders of the 4 BP countries said unanimously at the Tirana summit that Mini-Schenen is a “Berlin plus”.

Does Balkan Mini-Schengeni replace EU integration?

Clearly and without equivoying the four BP leaders said this was unlikely to happen. This process is in full time with the ambition of all BP countries and their commitment to becoming part of the European family. “Joining forces accelerate the EU integration process and create in our space standards that respond to 4 EU freedoms: freedom of movement of people, goods, capitals and services”, Prime Minister Rama stressed.

Rama noted at the joint press conference that the “the BP countries have all the strength to implement previously reached agreements within the Berlin, CEFTA process or other initiatives and tables”.

Montenegro's president, Milo Djukanovic, praised the Balkan Mini-Schengen initiative as “an excellent opportunity to improve confidence among the countries of the region and strengthen capacities for co-operation under broader initiatives with the EU, where we want to integrate”.

Serbia's president, Allexander Vuciq, views the initiative and intensive and efficient regional co-operation” with a tremendous emphasis. Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev stopped at border facilities in the circulation of people and goods. He said the agreement has already been signed”one stop shop” at border crossings, where electronic systems will be used, and citizens across the region will pass border points with ID cards. “would have a unified, single procedure for providing work permits. Northern Macedonia and Albania await positive messages in spring 2020,” said Zaev hinting at opening membership negotiations at the EU Summit & BP in Zagreb.

Vuciq: No game rules changed

The hopes of Northern Macedonia and Albania in the coming spring reinforce the approach that the Balkan Mini-Schengeni does not replace EU integration. “We want to be EU members. That's why we've been working for some time. We are not willing to change strategic direction. We didn't get any new information that would make us hesitate and say we don't want to go to the EU. On the contrary, we recently declared that we oppose any ideas to change the rules of the game now. Game rules are defined and set in Thessaloniki in 2003. We do what we have in our power: we organise the region and it does not depend on the great powers”, Vuciq said.

At the Tirana summit, the Balkan Mini-Schengen initiative is supported by the US and the European Commission, which will give the region next year 1.2 billion euros in grants for progress in realising regional co-operation.

Initiatives for the Future

Rama named the Balkan Mini-Schengen initiative the initiative for the future of the region. He called the Kosovo authorities' refusal to participate in the Tirana summit wrong.

This initiative is comprehensive, it does not exclude anyone, there is no condition. The four countries in the region have also opened the door for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina that need development. The refusal is suicide in economic and political plans. This initiative is the bridge between the past and the future. The past divides us, the future unites us. Only by co-operating with the wounds of the past”, Rama said.

Representatives of the European Commission, the American State Department, the World Bank, the European Bank for Development and Reconstruction, European Investment Bank supporting the Balkan Mini-Schengen initiative, participated in the Tirana summit. The next summit will take place in Belgrade in early February 2020.