Enver Hoxhaj: Kosovo must become part of the “Balkan Open” initiative

Hoxhaj added that Kosovo should participate in regional organisations or initiatives, seeking support from states to become part of the Council of Europe and NATO's Partnership for Peace.

“While I was in the post of foreign minister, we have followed an approach that the approach of Kosovo being part of every organisation, at every regional initiative. The Open Balkans are neither an organisation, it is an informal group of states, such as G7 or G20. And in my view, it would be easy for Kosovo to behave constructively, creatively and participate in the Open Balkans and seek support from the states that we also become part of the Council of Europe, to become part of NATO's peace partnership. You can't say no to an informal initiative for co-operation in the region and ask the partners, from different countries to support you, whether in Strasbourg or in Brussels”, Hoxhaj has indicated.

Recall that the “Open Balkan” initiative is an initiative originally established by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, and former Northern Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev.

This initiative was created with the aim of creating an area of free movement of people, goods and services in the Western Balkans.

The one who has not joined this initiative is Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, who refuses to have Kosovo become part of the initiative, as long as Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state.