Western Balkan nations to sign free movement, cooperation deals

BERLIN

Western Balkan countries have reached an agreement on free movement and closer regional cooperation, Germany's foreign minister announced on Friday.

"This is a huge step towards a common regional market, and also a huge step bringing the Western Balkans closer to the European Union," Annalena Baerbock said at the end of a conference in Berlin that brought together top diplomats from that region.

Serbia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Kosovo reached an agreement on three accords after weeks of talks facilitated by Germany, she told reporters.

"In the future, people in the Western Balkans will only need their ID cards to travel across the borders," Baerbock said.

"Secondly, universities in the six Western Balkan states will mutually recognize each other's diplomas. Thirdly, employees in the six countries will mutually recognize vocational qualifications and degrees," she added.

Baerbock said the agreements would be signed by the leaders of these countries on Nov. 3, during the Western Balkans Summit meeting in Berlin.