European Union for Balkan Oppen: Essential Process for the Region to Progress

But what is the position of the European Union regarding “Open Balkan” and should Kosovo join the initiative?

In this regard, Ana Pisonero, EU spokeswoman for neighbour and Enlargement, has provided answers to the Journal Express. She has said that the EU welcomes the leaders' commitments for regional co-operation, until it emphasises the essential importance of inclusion.

Pisonero has also recalled the Western Balkan leaders' commitment to establishing the Common Regional Market.

“We welcome leaders' commitments for regional co-operation, an essential element of the Western Balkans' European perspective and an integral part of the Stabilisation and Association Process. We understand the desire to move forward. At the same time, a process that includes the entire Western Balkan region is essential. In this context, it is important that the region progress in establishing a Joint Regional Market, a political commitment taken by the six regional leaders at the Sofia Summit last fall”, said in the written response of EU spokeswoman Ana Pisonero.

She has recently said that the EU is creating investment opportunities in the region through the Economic and Investment Plan, and that it is already up to the region to take advantage of these opportunities in the right way.

“We are bringing significant investment opportunities to the region through the Economic and Investment Plan. It now belongs to the region to use them well by exploiting its full economic potential and establishing a common regional market based on EU rules”, Pisonero has concluded.

That initiatives for regional co-operation have benefited from the German Federal Government as well. Also, even from the United States of America, they have said that Kosovo should be more open-minded about regional initiatives./Express