'Unstoppable' Open Balkan initiative promises 'great steps' for region, say leaders

BELGRADE, Serbia

A path to closer ties and a brighter collective future topped the agenda as regional leaders gathered for the Open Balkan Summit on Wednesday.

Top officials of Serbia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and the European Union were hosted by North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski in the city of Ohrid.

Gabriel Escobar, the US special envoy for the Western Balkans, attended via video link.

Kovachevski pointed out that the Open Balkan initiative represents a commitment to sustainable regional cooperation and economic development.

He hailed the “great steps” taken at the meeting, including “new agreements and cooperation protocols creating a common labor market” and bolstering collaboration in other fields such as education.

Tourism, he added, is another major sector set to receive a welcome boost.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama emphasized that the Ukraine war has made the Open Balkan initiative “a greater necessity.”

On the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo, he said the chances of the two sides resolving their issues will improve “the closer they get.”

He also lauded Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina for attending the summit.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Open Balkan is “an unstoppable initiative of the people from the Balkans.”

“This is our initiative, an initiative of the people from the Balkans, those who understand that they need to connect and solve problems on their own,” he said.

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic spoke about the need to reset bilateral ties with Serbia.

“President Vucic and I agreed that the two countries are interdependent and … should jointly create a European future based on reconciliation and cooperation,” he said.

Abazovic said the Open Balkan initiative will help “create a better future,” reaffirming that Montenegro will “support any initiative that brings progress to the region.”

Oliver Varhelyi, the EU commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement, said the Open Balkan mechanism will accelerate the region’s integration into the EU.

Escobar, the US special representative, conveyed Washington’s support for what he described as an “important economic project.”

The Open Balkan initiative currently covers an economic and political zone between Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, aimed at boosting trade and student exchange opportunities for some 12 million people, as well as encouraging the three countries’ integration into the EU.

At their recent meeting in Davos, Vucic and Abazovic hinted at the possibility of Montenegro becoming a part of Open Balkan, which could be formally announced during or after the Ohrid summit.​​​​​​​