Serbia's prime minister invites Kosovo to join “Open Balkans”

She said that the invitation for these places is the “always open”.

The Open Balkans' <x0 co-operation initiative”, which includes Serbia, Albania and Northern Macedonia, envisions freedom of movement for capital, goods, services and people between countries.

“Citizens living in the region will greatly benefit from this initiative”, Brnabiq said on November 15th, answering questions during a meeting of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, which is being held in the Serbian Parliament.

Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina oppose participation in the “Open Balkans initiative”.

The current government of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti rejects this initiative and calls on countries in the region to remain committed to the European Union agenda.

In Belgrade on November 4th, the next meeting of leaders of the regional initiative for co-operation “Balkani opened” has been held.

Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama, Northern Macedonia's deputy prime minister for European Affairs, Nikola Dimitrov, and business officials from the region participated.

President Vuciq said a Council of Implementation of Agreements would be formed.

What has been accomplished so far?

Under this initiative, the free movement of citizens with ID between Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania has been signed, agreement on co-operation in preventing and eliminating the consequences of natural disasters. Likewise, agreements for co-operation have been signed on facilitating import, export and goods movement in the Western Balkans, as well as a Memorandum of Understanding and co-operation for free access to the labour market.

Between Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania, it is agreed that border controls will be removed by January 1st 2023. Also, it is planned to gradually create a common market for 12 million people, as long as these three countries together have, therefore, a single economic “zone”.

Economic Science Professor Muhamet Mustafa has told Radio Free Europe (REL) that the “Balkan opened” initiative cannot be lived as long as Serbia has access to obstruction for Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

While Tirana economy connoisseur Fatos Cocol told REL that Kosovo must support this initiative despite political problems with Serbia.