American Ambassador to Montenegro: In the Open Balkans, s'ka tunovat

American Ambassador to Montenegro Judy Reinke has said that the US supports the Open Balkans on condition that all Western Balkan countries are represented fully and equally”.

Reinke said that in the open Balkans it has introduced and has no particular conditions.

She added that she supports the initiative while it is fully in line with European Union principles.

There is a simple set of conditions, and it is that the “Open Balkans” is fully and equally open to all six countries in the Western Balkans. No banners, no special conditions. So, as long as it is open to all and as long as all principles within the open Balkans are fully in line with the conditions the EU would expect in the membership process. These are the terms. This would give Western Balkan countries a chance to build their economies, work to set regulatory standards and principles for free movement of people, goods and resources, and to be better prepared with the approach to EU membership”, she said.

Also, she said it is not important if this initiative supports Russia, for him it is important what it is about in the open Balkans.

For me, the key is not who supports, but what it's about. And what we understand and support is the “Open Balkans”, which is equally open to the six Balkan countries and fully in line with the principles of the European Union”, she said in an interview for the Voice of America.