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Western Balkan Leaders Reach Agreement to Create “Mini Schengen”

The leaders of Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia decided to promote regional cooperation, trade, movement of people, and economic development during an Open Balkan meet.

August 3, 2021
Western Balkan Leaders Reach Agreement to Create “Mini Schengen”
SOURCE: DAILY SABAH

The initiative for regional cooperation between Balkan nations, unofficially dubbed “Mini Schengen,” was renamed “Open Balkan” by the Prime Ministers (PMs) of North Macedonia and Albania and the Serbian President during the Economic Forum for Regional Cooperation in Skopje, North Macedonia on Thursday.

As per news reports, the leaders decided to abolish border controls between the three nations by 2023 and promote regional cooperation, economic development, movement, and trade. In this regard, they signed three documents: the Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation on Facilitating Import, Export and Movement of Goods in the Western Balkans; the Memorandum on Free Access to the Labor Market; and the Agreement on Cooperation in Disaster Protection.

Hailing the new beginning of regional cooperation, the PM of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, said, “I want to assure you, and I think it is obvious, that our political will, that of President Vučić, Prime Minister Rama and mine, is an expression of our maximum commitment to provide all conditions that depend on the governments of our three countries for effective regional cooperation.” The PM also stressed the importance of connectivity to promote the development of economies and regions and a better life for the citizens of Western Balkans.

Likewise, Albanian PM Edi Rama said, “We should not turn our backs on each other, as we have done for the past 500 years.” He added that this initiative is not exclusive, and any country which wants to join should do it on its own. Concerning this, the PM said, “I believe that all countries should be part of this process because it is a benefit for them and their citizens, and every day of looking back is a day lost.”

Echoing similar sentiments, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, said, “We are open to everyone, but I do not understand why we would ask anyone. We are doing our job. It is our job to show responsibility towards the citizens and raise the economies of the three countries. Our three countries will attract more than 80 per cent of investments in the Western Balkans. Political issues are also easier to resolve when you attract investors.”

Ana Pisonero, the spokesperson for European Commission, said the European Union (EU) backed the leaders’ commitment to regional cooperation, which she said is an “essential element of the European perspective of the Western Balkans and an integral part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.”

Similarly, Bulgarian newspaper Duma posited that the development will suit the EU. It stated, “Some in Brussels may see the initiative as a kind of integration separatism where instead of a European alliance something like a Balkan alliance is being forged. But this is a purely European concept, so Brussels needn’t start pointing the finger. The EU should be glad that the mini-economic alliance will make the three countries’ annoyance with the slow European integration process more bearable. At the same time, Brussels must not stop talking about the European perspectives of the Western Balkan countries if it doesn’t want them to turn their gaze too much towards China or Russia.”

The Open Balkan initiative, inspired by European values, creates a common regional market, accelerating the three nations’ path to full EU membership.