Cadez: Free flow of basic foodstuffs within the Open Balkan initiative agreed

Tanjug / Zoran Petrović

Serbian Chamber of Commerce (PKS) President Marko Cadez said members of the Open Balkan initiative agreed in Tirana that there will be no ban on the trade in basic foodstuffs between Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia.

“We reached an agreement that is being drawn up and which will be signed in Belgrade at the next summit, already in September, under which there will be no ban on the trade in flour, sugar and basic foodstuffs within the Open Balkan (initiative), we will map storage and production capacities in all three countries so we could define our readiness for a free flow of goods,” Cadez told the Serbian state TV (RTS).

He said the agreement will also encourage businessmen to enter into long-term contracts because they have the state’s word that there will be no stoppages, and added that the agreement includes a provision banning re-exports in order to avoid manipulation.

Cadez added that import and export taxes and duties between Serbia and Albania will be abolished.