Belgrade, Tirana, Skopje: 'Open Balkan' to solve problems on the ground

The idea is to change the practice of many things agreed upon at the political level and not consistently implemented on the ground.

At a news conference in Belgrade after meeting with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and North Macedonia Deputy Prime Minister Nikola Dimitrov, Vucic said all three countries' business communities supported the 'Open Balkan' project, but complained that some things at the borders had not changed.
"We have agreed on the formation of the Implementation Council, and we will soon agree on its composition. In the next seven to ten days, we will have meetings with representatives of customs, various agencies and phytosanitary inspections to see how the free flow of goods and services is going," Vucic said.

He added the unhindered transit between the countries had been agreed to enable faster growth and a higher rate of development because all three countries were lagging behind the developed countries.

Vucic announced that after Christmas, at the end of December, Tirana would host the next meeting, during which a Memorandum of Understanding on work permits would be signed as the only way to keep workers in the region.

"We are frustrated when we do not implement what has been agreed at the political level, and that is why all agencies and inspections will now have to gather to agree on everything, so that this idea wins and so that everyone can move forward. All businessmen, literally 100 percent of them, support this initiative and are only looking for faster results and activity from us, and let's not stop only at political declarations," said Vucic.

The meeting of the three officials was preceded by talks with representatives of companies from three countries and a meeting with representatives of the Atlantic Council.

The 'Open Balkan' initiative was attended by representatives of 22 holdings from the region, which brought together 184 companies.

Rama said that "today, unlike in other meetings, the focus was on people, companies, distributors, workers, students, academic citizens who are the real users of the 'Open Balkan'."

"Each of them suffers at the borders - from waiting, and those red lines, agencies, checks," Rama said, adding that the regional countries' markets were small, "but when integrated, they have some strength in attracting foreign investments."

Dimitrov said the 'Open Balkan' initiative was essential and that regional cooperation was "European, wise and the right choice."

He added there was no doubt about "what to do when you need to find solutions and make the future better."

"Solidarity is the basis for future integration, and that means that we take care of others as we take care of ourselves," Dimitrov said. He added that "the better the countries of the region cooperate, the more confident the EU will be that they won't bring their issues into the bloc."