Prime Minister Edi Rama: First of all, I would like to welcome the journalists from North Macedonia and Serbia and thank them all together, including our journalists, for the time they devoted to this intense day and for the patience they showed while waiting for this press conference.

It is indeed a pleasure to inform the public today that we have signed a number of agreements that finalize an intense joint work and that as not always, due to the very nature of the agreements, the ones signed today will be a tangible reality in the very near future, precisely in January 2022.

– The Agreement on the free labor market, which provides the opportunity and guarantees all citizens in the three countries immediate right and equal access to work and residence permits.

– The agreement for the integrated electronic services system, which paves the way for creation of a common electronic system, to grant opportunities to all citizens applying for certain services, starting from the applications to register for residence permit in another country or for work permit, and so on, to do so without leaving their home or location via their smartphone and nearest computer.

-Common en-bloc agreements to finally remove the last hurdle standing on the way of those who for years interact among these countries as exporters and importers, and who have been through a difficult history of long waiting times and going through continued checks and verifications, allowing them starting next January to cross the respective border points freely, without having to obtain the same documents three times, when it comes to the required documents for export and import of agricultural and livestock products.

It is worth underlining that the agreement will allow for the first time the export of livestock products, including that of live animals, based on reciprocity and trust between the competent counterpart authorities, which in this case, work as one.

It is long-awaited news for all of those involved and operating in livestock and meat production activities, because none of our countries are granted access to the European Union market, but in the meantime these producers in our countries are really interested in accessing new markets.

All these agreements, which are neither less nor more than agreements already operational in the common market among EU member states, based on the very same principles and the farmers and the common regional markets, which is being used as an alibi against the Open Balkan framework initiative, but which can be materialized under this initiative only.

I underline that the agreements we signed today are tangible evidence to a very simple fact; Open Balkan is an initiative that pushes forward what has been already continuously discussed at the Berlin Process summits, and what has been already agreed upon during the long chain of summits in the context of that process, but that were never materialized.

Open Balkan initiative is an implementation unit of the Berlin Process and an implementation unit of the Common Regional Market. This is the reason why we have joined this initiative. This is the reason why we have declared the initiative as an inclusive initiative since day one.

This is the reason why the three other parties should join us for their own good, for the best interest of the citizens in each of six participating countries in a bid to take the economy and Western Balkan society forward.

Likewise, I believe it was clear today as the European Commissioner for Enlargement openly stated that the European Commission fully supports the Open Balkan initiative and invites the other three countries to join it.

If you noticed it, the Commissioner regretfully underlined and acknowledged the failure of the common market, as a process, which was built on consensus.

The reason why we have taken this initiative is precisely to create the opportunity for all Western Balkan community to determine for themselves the speed at which they want to move forward.

We are seeking to move forward as fast as possible and we are aware, given the experience we have accumulated throughout the “Berlin Process”, that moving forward as fast as possible can be attainable only if we take matters here in our region into our own hands.

Concluding these opening remarks and underlining that the initiative is now taking a complete meaningful shape with a significant impact on the citizens’ lives and work, and for this reason, support for the initiative, whether from the US administration or the European Commission, or from a number of EU member states, comes and will continue to grow due to the fact that the objective of the initiative is very clear; to make our region a space where the freedoms of the European Union work for our citizens; namely the freedom of movement of people, goods, capital and services.

We have decided to meet again in North Macedonia by end of next February so to advance this process and we have decided that once the non-tariff barriers are removed, as I already noted, we will again address the removal of the tariff barriers for exporters and importers within the space of these three countries, as our goal is to build a border-free Balkan for everyone to move freely, for the goods, capital and services to move totally freely.

This was a brief outline of a very intense work and I am now giving the floor to the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, and the Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev.

President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic: Dear Prime Minister of Albania, Mr. Rama, dear Prime Minister of North Macedonia, dear friends! I would like to first thank our friend Edi Rama for the hospitality here in Albania, both in Elbasan and here in Tirana. I would like to underline that I am really very happy about the agreements we signed today, as this is the crowning achievement of a two and a half-year work.

We have been discussing these things, but we had yet to complete some of the bureaucratic procedures, but thanks to the persistence of all of us, the persistence of our teams as well, we have succeeded in getting things going so that the citizens of our countries, namely North Macedonia, Albania and of course Serbia, can reap benefits from these accomplishments.

I would like to say that when I came to Albania, Prime Minister Rama was opposed to the Open Balkan initiative by those who claim that I am seeking to build a Greater Serbia or by those who claim that the Open Balkan is an initiative that has to do with Greater Albania. This initiative has to do neither with one thing nor the other, or a Greater Macedonia and let’s not waste our time with such discussions about the past, because talking about these things, we will not be able to do something for the future, rather we need to focus on the future, discuss it, where we are and how to get there. The things we have done for the farmers, for our producers and for the fact that they can live better in the civic future of our countries. So, we want to see more tourists from Tirana, from Skopje, certainly not only from these cities, but from both countries to visit Novisad. In the meantime, you can succeed in attracting a higher number of visitors from Serbia, who can spend their holidays on Albania’s beautiful beaches, or on the wonderful lakes of North Macedonia.

After all, what we are already doing has to do with tangible results for our citizens, the benefits we provide to them and being in Tirana today, I am saying this not only as an individual, but also on behalf of Serbian citizens, I want to express my respect for all citizens of Albania, North Macedonia, for your families and I would like to welcome you to Serbia. I want to see Serbia as your second home, because we, too, want to feel that way whenever we visit Albania or North Macedonia, Tirana or Skopje and therefore it is important that we keep going on with the intensive work on all the issues that Edi clearly spoke about, namely the removal of non-tariff barriers first and the tariff barriers later, so that no borders exist for our private companies and firms, so that we can create the opportunities to attract more foreign investors. For example, last night we discussed a range of important issues with Albanian, Serbian and Macedonian business people and we realized they were satisfied with the accomplishments we have already delivered through the Open Balkan initiative and this is very important for us.

Finally, allow me to express appreciation to Zoran Zaev, as he has done really a lot and this initiative exists thanks to him.

We have agreed to reiterate at every press conference the invitation to our counterparts in Prishtina, Podgorica and Sarajevo and it is important for us to again realize that after all we are doing all these for our citizens, because it is not that we want to issue political appeals or that we are extending political invitations, but what we want to do, regardless of the political gains each of us can score, we want these three capitals to join us in this initiative so that we can deliver tangible results; namely how to attract more visitors from each of our countries and to each our countries. Mr. Rama also proposed that a special fund be allocated for the film industry, basketball and other areas.

We have also launched discussions to explore ways to lower tariffs applied on highways in the Open Balkan participating countries, as well as how to lower restaurant and hotel prices.

Let me ask a question: isn’t this the most direct benefit possible for all those who are participating in this initiative? And that’s why sometimes I get bored – I mean with myself – because we keep calling on our counterparts, as if we could not exist without them. I would like to thank Edi Rama and Zoran Zaev for being so persistent in all this and I know that all this will change the Western Balkans. We are not ashamed of this name we bear; we are not ashamed of this region where we live in, or of this initiative that is in the best interest of our citizens, who have already seen some of these achievements.

You, for example, have come across the debate about his cousin, who was working for a Skopje-based company and was later invited to move to Belgrade. So, every month we had to issue licenses and permits allowing him to stay, but he will no longer have to obtain permits thanks to these agreements, namely the work permits issued either in Tirana or Belgrade, and such permits will be valid also in Skopje. This way we put an end to these bureaucratic procedures, but in the meantime we want our citizens to establish more people-to-people contacts and any institutional contacts among education institutions, the deans and rectors of agricultural universities, for example. Let’s try and deliver things so that people can realize these things are in their own best interest in the best shared interest and if we really want to work together for integration into the united Europe, why don’t we do so now? I would really like to thank our host, Mr. Edi Rama.

Zoran, thank you very much for everything you have done and all the efforts you have done. I know that you will officially tender your resignation tomorrow, but I would like to thank you for everything you have done for the friendship between Serbia and North Macedonia, as well as for the friendship among our three countries. I would also like to welcome Mr. Kovachevski and extend my wholehearted thanks to all of those who have done a lot of work to deliver all these accomplishments and I think the Belgrade summit will take place by May or June, when we plan to jointly host a wine fair to showcase our finest wines. We will invite our partners from the Western Balkan region, as well as from Europe and Eastern Europe, so that we can hold the best possible fair in Europe. We will work together anytime possible, and we will do so and once we join Brussels, we will be able to resolve several issues, including the green lanes.

Thank you everyone and again thank you for your excellent hospitality!

Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev: Honorable, President of the Republic of Serbia, honorable Prime Minister of Albania, Edi Rama, respected media representatives, honorable citizens! I want to thank Edi and the Albanian people and the Albanian government for the hospitality! We all feel at home here, regardless of whether we are in Tirana, Skopje or Belgrade.

Today is my last day in office as Prime Minister of North Macedonia and it is my pleasure and a privilege to personally commit and directly contribute to accomplishing the noble mission of the Open Balkan as an initiative.

Since launch of the initiative, I and my colleagues, my friends and brothers, Aleksandar Vucic and Edi Rama have highlighted the fact that Open Balkan is an authentic joint process launched by Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia, but also designed to deliver benefits to everyone in the region and is open to all the countries in the region.

The remaining countries in the region have been extended an open, clear and unequivocal invitation to join. We encourage all the countries in the Western Balkans to jointly contribute to this shared area and establish closer ties with each other to develop economically, most importantly without barriers, without restrictions, to be free, and adapt all this development to the needs of our people.

We call for contributions so that the Open Balkans initiative becomes a Western Balkan initiative to provide benefits for all our citizens and for their daily lives through a common market. Today we are presenting concrete steps in front of the citizens of our countries, in front of the citizens of our region. In Tirana today we signed trilateral agreements, namely the interconnection agreement on electronic identification schemes for Western Balkan citizens, and agreement on cooperation on the area of veterinary medicine, food safety and phytosanitary policy, as well as the agreement on the free access to the labor market in the Western Balkans.

Through these agreements, we provide the citizens of North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia with access to electronic services available on the national portals of the three countries by creating electronic identification “Open Balkan”, which marks the start of the implementation of the possibility for facilitated and unhindered access to the labor market in the three countries.

As soon as the agreements are ratified in the parliaments of North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, the citizens of the three countries will be granted the opportunity to move freely and work in each of the countries. In this way we connect our human resources, we consolidate our market, we connect the economies, and we become more competitive, stronger and even more ready for further development.

We relate to the clear, open and public intention of our peoples to feel the immediate, economic benefits of the facilitations we provide. The benefits will soon be felt by thousands of families in the region in a very near future. These agreements represent further significant steps towards the region’s Europeanization, as we apply the best European practices at home, because our region is in Europe. When President Vucic and Prime Minister, together with me designed the Open Balkan vision, we agreed to avoid domination of Euro-skepticism in our countries, taking notice of the failure of European policies. The Open Balkan initiative lives up to the European ideas and values ​​that are always bigger and more attractive than the European administration and in that respect this initiative is a strong contribution to the great ideas ​​of the European Union, a contribution that brings the region closer to the European Union itself. When the EU fails, we have an obligation to constantly and continuously take initiatives that Europeanize the region and deliver better European living standards for our peoples. Of course, all three countries remain committed to their separate agendas and obligations for accession to the European Union. Brussels may decide to slow down the process, but Europeanization and meeting the European standards in Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia should not stop. The agreements on the free access to the labour market, based on the EU principles, represent concrete steps towards implementation of the standards that the EU itself applies. We are implementing a common practice in the EU now, based on the agreements signed among the EU member states themselves. We have clearly emphasized that the Open Balkan initiative is not a substitute for the EU, but it is a facilitator of the European idea in the Balkans. The Balkans are Europe and nothing less than that. Of course, all three countries remain committed to their agenda and to fulfilling their obligations to join the EU.

The Open Balkan initiative is a strong link, which has received clear and strong support from businesses, from the chambers of commerce of our countries, which have agreed that the Open Balkan is the platform the region needs. I am grateful to the United States for its support and for the very strong support from a number of EU member states and of course this clear encouragement that comes from EU representatives. This support confirms that we are implementing a sustainable process for a common economic and political space in the Western Balkans with concrete benefits for all our citizens.

Allow me to conclude this last speech in my capacity as North Macedonia’s Prime Minister thanking President Vucic and Prime Minister Rama for the common belief in this initiative and the needs of the Open Balkan.

Open Balkan is an irreversible process. There is no reason to backtrack from this journey, which exclusively seeks to foster cooperation among people in the region. We need to remove barriers that impede the free movement of people, capital, goods and services.

The ideas we have been talking about remain such and should accompany very important stages of future cooperation. I would point out tourism. Let us introduce and forge communication among the travel and tour agencies and the ministers in the three countries work together to define a common tourist offer for the world markets so that the Open Balkan becomes an attractive destination because we have a lot to offer to the visitors. We have demonstrated that the region is home to some of the finest wines. In the meantime, the wine producers, as part of the Open Balkan network, will establish closer cooperation with one another, and therefore we need to pursue this idea to turn the region into a wine tourism destination too. Let’s host as many wine fairs as possible. Starting next spring, as President Vucic announced, we will host a regional wine fair in Belgrade to support agricultural producers and the wine producers in particular to promote their products.

Likewise, we discussed and acknowledged the potential of cooperation regarding the film industry. The next step in this direction would include allocation of certain budgets from the three countries to support establishment of a joint fund or commission and co-productions.

It is definitely important to foster youth cooperation in the region, but doing whatever it takes to establish and intensify contacts, exchange and launch joint government initiatives through various events for young people in the three countries, including joint summer holidays, cultural and sports events, scientific research centres, for which significant funding is needed to be allocated by the three countries.

Our people of North Macedonia, Albania and Serbia, as well as other people of all other countries in the region share all the same pathway, the same vision and the very same European values.

We move forward along the very same path towards accession into the European Union.

Dear Edi, dear Aleksandar! Open Balkan, not only brought us together as leaders of the three participating countries, but for me it also has an extraordinary value, namely the friendship with you both.

Taking the Open Balkan initiative forward is something we witnessed today and the next North Macedonia’s Prime Minister, Mr Kovachevski will show the same commitment to the initiative. Of course, this will help efforts to speed up implementation of the agreements and acquisition of all benefits for the citizens of our countries and in the Balkans as a whole.

Thank you!

* * *

-I have a question for each of you and you can decide who is going to answer. Which are the implementation deadlines for the agreements you signed today in terms of the labour market and other areas?

Prime Minister Edi Rama: The implementation will begin immediately after their signing. Things will be set in motion immediately and people from the three countries, already interacting with one another in the region, will be provided a completely different opportunity to export and trade their products from one country to another with the reduced and relaxed customs and border crossing procedures. The results are immediate.

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic: I would like to add just a sentence to note that there is a difference when it comes to interpretation of the CEFTA. Of course there is an interpretation suggesting that we are starting with everything to implement everything. We are about to finalize the e-signing and once the e-signing is complete, people will face no problems, regarding the work permits and other aspects. Under CEFTA, it would take six more months for an application to be included and registered with their system. CEFTA representatives confirmed this today. Implementation of the agreements will begin immediately for all the citizens from our countries. Of course, some minor technical problems may pop up, yet they will be all handled in the process, because we are talking about tremendous changes and I am confident we will succeed in delivering them.

PM of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev: Implementation of the agreement on agriculture begins today, whereas the agreement on the labour market will become operational in the coming weeks or months, as the identification process is already underway. So, implementation will start immediately.

-This is a question for the three of you. Of course, I would prefer to speak Macedonian, but since the majority are speaking English, I will do so. The three countries have embarked on the path towards EU integration, but we know that Serbia has already opened 4 chapters; Montenegro has adopted the new methodology. However, North Macedonia and Albania lag behind and are still waiting due to the failure of the EU to open negotiations with the two countries. Do you think that the different speeds of Euro-integration will have an impact or effect on this constructive initiative?

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic: Do you want me to answer in English or Serbian?

Journalist: You may answer in Albanian.

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic: Unfortunately, I don’t speak Albanian. I have to learn Albanian. I can say that despite the speed and the stage of progress towards EU accession, Serbia fully supports European integration of North Macedonia and Albania and we have always done so. Since the Sofia Summit, I believe we started speaking with one voice and this was somehow a bit surprising to our European hosts. We have almost agreed 100% on everything you are referring to.

The point is – if you are going to ask us, since we are the only country to have already opened several chapters, 4 of them – this didn’t affect us at the Intergovernmental Conference that took place in Brussels. We are so committed and devoted to this process, namely the Open Balkan process, so it doesn’t matter. We will always do our best to be on the side of North Macedonia and Albania, alongside them, to push for the opening of the negotiation process and the European integration of both countries.

It is a process that we do for ourselves and it is not a mistake of the leadership of Albania or North Macedonia. It’s about other people; it’s about other countries too. This has to do with certain people in the European Union and the citizens in your countries need to know this because you have met all the conditions. You have fulfilled everything and you have not received what you were promised.

I would acknowledge that Serbia enjoys a better position and we are lucky enough as they have at least delivered on their pledges to Serbia, but they have failed to do so in relation to Albania and North Macedonia.

The Open Balkan issue; this is a real vision, which was already underlined by both Zoran and Edi, it is the vision for a different Balkans and there is no reason for us to feel ashamed or embarrassed, but rather proud for the fact we are working together and I am confident we will create a much better space for all our people and better living standards for all of them and we will work shoulder to shoulder, along with our friends both in Tirana and Skopje.

Prime Minister Edi Rama: Let me tell you this, since this is very straightforward as it is about the near future of our countries versus membership in the European Union, but let me start with the Open Balkan initiative, because the individuals who oppose the initiative or who do not want to see this initiative succeed, claim that the initiative is an alternative to European integration and they even claim that the initiative is a return to the past and it is designed to recreate Yugoslavia. And, by the way, I want to say this in Albanian, as this is very important for Albanians, but I will go on then in English. Since I don’t speak your language as I have never been in Yugoslavia, I can say that the Open Balkan initiative has nothing to do with Yugoslavia. Maybe Aleksandar will learn Albanian one day, but before I learn Serbian, I would learn German, for example.

I would like to announce that today we have decided to invite in the next six months – because we need to prepare properly as we will discuss the tariff barriers in the next summit – we have decided to invite Italy, Greece and Hungary – just for a start – to join us in the next Open Balkan summit, as we have realized that it is not enough for our people, our manufacturers, importers and exporters to trade totally freely just like their counterparts in the EU countries do, but they need to face fewer barriers when arriving in the EU countries.

So, we will start to communicate and contact EU countries and try to bring and make the process together in the framework of the Open Balkan initiative, for the regional common market, along the process of accessing the European common market. This is how the Open Balkan helps.

Who the hell would trust us if we were to say: “We want to provide cheaper routes or facilities to access your EU empire,” and if we are unable to demonstrate through tangible deeds that we can rise to the level of ambitions and standard of the EU conduct?

So, the Open Balkan not only helps the countries individually in economic terms, by growing their GDP through a larger economy, but also in the way we can access the EU.

It is one thing to repeatedly point out the EU criteria, the EU standards, the EU values, the interaction with the EU and it is another thing to say “Will they finally launch, or will they finally hold this Intergovernmental Conference.” Who knows? It could happen that a country, Finland for example, may step forward and claim: “We have a problem with Albania, because they pretend to be Vikings.” So, we have to solve it. Or, another country, Portugal, for example, can say: “We have to solve the fact whether Vasco de Gama was Albanian or Portuguese!” I do not know.

Things therefore this can get complicated. What we need to do is to move forward and build in our country a framework, an EU context, of living, communicating, and movement and by doing so, not only we can grow our economies, but also make peace irreversible in this region, because they go hand in hand.

They go precisely hand in hand and history has demonstrated it. This is my approach. Now Zoran, as the most firebrand EU supporter, can say something. I don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow, but I am also prepared for the day after tomorrow, but I honestly don’t care.

Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev: Open Balkan, I repeat, is not an alternative or a substitute for the European Union. It is a natural reaction of our countries to the European Union’s incapability and failure to deliver on its challenges.

Open Balkan is Europe. It represents the region’s Europeanization and, as Edi and Aleksandar rightly noted, we can do a lot more by exerting our forces and all our responsibilities towards our citizens.

I strongly believe that a more united region will be a stronger region, as opposed to Western, Northern, Eastern Europe, and this will lead to multiplier effects for our citizens.

-A common question for the three leaders. Despite the renewed and constant appeals, none of the other Western Balkan countries has joined your initiative. Will you continue this initiative even if only three countries are part of it? I have another question, specifically for Mr. Vucic. If Kosovo joins the Open Balkan initiative, will you allow it to join the negotiating table under its name and flag? Thank you!

PM Edi Rama: As for the first question about the fact that we call on the other countries to join and whether we would give up the Open Balkan initiative if other countries refuse to do so? My answer is pretty simple. The decisions we made today will actually affect thousands upon thousands of people, who will benefit. Around 600 or 700 private entities from Albania alone, which despite the Open Balkan initiative, despite the united Europe, despite the United Nations or NATO, they can move freely to these territories to export to Serbia, to export to North Macedonia, and more than 600 or 700 other companies import products from these countries. We tell these people that we have provided them the opportunity not to wait for hours long at border crossing points, so that they don’t need to obtain documents from three countries and face three pairs of bureaucracy. Do you think we will restore these barriers again just because other three countries refuse to remove these barriers to their own citizens and to the private entities working and operating in their countries? Of course not! This is the Open Balkan initiative. Open Balkan is not a conspiracy, but a process to release labour forces and relieve them from all the bureaucratic hurdles and the chain of various legislations. Open Balkan is an EU-like unification. You say that if the other three refuse to heed our calls, we would then give up and will cease trying to transform this common space into an embodiment of the EU, not to compete against the EU, neither to become an alternative to the European Union, but while the EU has set its own pace vis-à-vis us, meaning we can expect all of the surprises, vetoes, elections in various EU member states, internal dynamics to be resolved once and for good, but it would take – God knows how many more decades – for the EU to accept us inside it so that we can become free people, just like the people within the European Union. Why? Is it just because three countries refuse to join? What’s wrong with this? CEFTA, as it was rightly noted, will take six more months to hopefully deliver on what we have already accomplished. Why? This is because consensus is a must within CEFTA. The difference between the CEFTA and the Open Balkan is that the latter doesn’t necessarily need consensus to be reached. Whoever wishes to run, can do so. Whoever wishes to walk, can do absolutely so. Whoever wishes to stay put, can of course do so. Everyone is free to do whatever they want to do. It is as simple as that. Therefore, the Open Balkan initiative won’t stop, but it will move forward.

Second, Open Balkan is in the best strategic interest of Albania and Albanians, in addition to the fact that the initiative is in the best interest of every other country.

Third, I reiterate they will definitely join the Open Balkan initiative one day. They are just wasting time and those wasting more time will lag a lot behind the countries which are already part of the initiative. Every country will gain its share, as much as they can, as much as they are able to do so and as much as they know how to do so. It is as simple as that. Therefore, it is our appeal and my appeal to other countries to join us, but we won’t beg them to do so, because otherwise we will give up this initiative. We didn’t embark on this path for the sake of other countries. We did so for the sake of Albania, just like every other country has done for them. So, I repeat we would welcome them and they can join us, sit with us, discuss with us and benefit from the initiative, but they can neither stop, nor alter the initiative’s trajectory which is already irreversible. It is as simple as that.

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vuçiç: I believe we have answered this question on different occasions. The elections will take place in Serbia in three months and it will be easy for me to answer you harshly so that I can gain some nationalist scores within my country. However I will surprise you with my choice because I will answer very calmly, rationally and I will try to explain and once again why we are doing all this and what we expect.

We have different views on Kosovo. Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia have different views on this issue. Of course, Belgrade and Prishtina have different views, but that is not a reason for us not to talk and this is not a reason for someone not to join the Open Balkans. We can mention the border crossing points in Jarinje and between Kosovo and Serbia or towards the Preshevo valley or central Serbia as we say, however let’s talk about the essence. Would it be much easier both for Albania and Serbia if such borders were not to exist or long queues on the border and instead people can move freely? So, all these cause countless problems. Would it be easier if these problems were not to exist? I think so. I don’t think there is anyone either in Prishtina or Mitrovica, either in Belgrade or Tirana, that wouldn’t agree with what I am saying. I don’t think it is in my interest to invite them, because as soon as I would invite someone from Prishtina, they would reply by saying they won’t join the initiative, because it was me to extend the invitation. But if you would ask me whether I would mind their participation or whether we would resolve the status of the political issue, this is an issue to be resolved through the dialogue in Brussels, but as far as economic issues are concerned, as far as the freedom of movement of goods, capital and people, we are ready to work together within the open Balkan initiative and we have no problem with that.

I am extending this invitation to Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, because I think it is important that their people hear this as well. As far as the countries refusing to join this initiative are, I would reiterate what Edi said, they will simply waste time. There is no need to beg anyone because in fact, there are only benefits from this initiative.

This is something having simply to do with some minor political intrigues or conspiracy theories. My official advisers told me to withdraw from the meeting, because of the incident with the flag a day ago and it would cost us in the elections due to be held in three months. However, other people committed the same action, yet PM Rama came to Belgrade. Although we proudly hoisted the flags of North Macedonia, Montenegro and other countries, how come that we can’t tolerate, if the matter revolves around who sets more flags on fire. We totally oppose this. We are here to build bridges. We are here to build bridges and create cooperation and I assure you that people in Albania will be happy with this cooperation, just like people in Serbia will be happy with this cooperation too. Likewise, the people in North Macedonia will be happy and satisfied because they will live better. Countless areas of cooperation lie before us, but we must show responsibility, seriousness and not patronize the daily politics or daily political whims of anyone.

It is our duty as leaders of our countries. Three other leaders will replace us in the future, but we should lead our countries by preserving peace. But to deliver on this, we should achieve long-lasting peace, just as the EU is the longest-lasting peace project, and so will the Open Balkan. This is primarily a peace project and secondly this is an accelerated economic development project. Third, people are getting to know each other. I haven’t happened to know any Albanian while serving in the army in Sarajevo. I have met excellent people today, just as I met in Ohrid and Belgrade, but we should create such an opportunity for young people too, so that they can see how they can live side by side and live better with one another. We don’t necessarily need to love one another, but we can respect each other and I said this from the beginning, that I respect every Albanian family in North Macedonia. And what we are doing, Edi does it for Albania, I do it for Serbia, but in the end we do it because of all of us, as Zoran does for North Macedonia.

We will go on with this initiative, because it is an extraordinary initiative and we are very proud of it. We have invested a lot of energy, we have invested a lot of effort and we will deliver excellent results for our countries. However you will realize it when the results become obvious, in spite of those who have not joined us.

PM of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev: I believe that the number of participating countries in the Open Balkan initiative will grow. This is an open initiative and we all agree that three is better than one. This is obvious.

I would urge you all to stay focused, to stay engaged, because the Open Balkan is starting to become an attractive initiative, it will become an attractive brand, because it definitely serves the citizens of all three countries.

PM Edi Rama: The press conference ends here.

Before concluding, I would like to say something. We will continue with the Open Balkans just as each of us continues on the path to integrating our own countries into the European Union. No matter what others say, no matter when they oppose the Open Balkan, no matter when they put obstacles on the way of European integration, it is important for us to do our duty and there is a very Balkan fact that says it all. In Serbia, there are people accusing the President of working for Greater Albania. In Albania, I am accused of working for Greater Serbia. I don’t know what they work for in North Macedonia, Greater Bulgaria or Greater Macedonia, as this is not clear, but the truth is that each and every one of us works for a great transformation in behalf of peace, prosperity and the future of everyone and primarily in behalf of our children. Thank you very much and travel safely back to your countries!

We will meet again by the end of February in North Macedonia. Thank you!

/u.sh/

During his remarks at the plenary session of the “Open Balkan” summit, Zaev said, “Let me express my satisfaction with the recent big steps that have taken regarding the ‘Open Balkan’ initiative”.

“Congratulations to our teams, who have worked so hard in recent months so that we have successes and results to show while the three delegations of our countries have done an excellent job,” he said. “This will be my last direct participation in this important mission that we have started and we are implementing it “.

Zaev said that, “The Open Balkan” initiative is an authentic joint process between Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, while this initiative is open to all countries in the region.”

“Since the beginning of the first meeting we had in Skopje and following the signing of the first agreements, we have shown that a strong political will can be rendered into a very fast functioning of all our institutions together which shows the capacities of our countries to have fast and advanced reforms”, said Zaev./p.s./

“We met today to discuss the further steps on our regional cooperation as a vital way forward for our countries, the Western Balkans, for Europe and the European path as a whole.

Our countries are part of Europe and will always be. The Western Balkans need the EU as much as the EU needs them.

The repeated failure of the EU to deliver on its promises and its inability to move forward by opening the first intergovernmental conferences with Albania and North Macedonia, goes against the European will of our countries and against EU interests as well.

Our history and our future are European, and we live in a region surrounded by the EU borders. In the challenging context caused by an already long-standing status quo of the Union vis-a-vis our EU integration process, we remain even more committed to our EU path and to our regional cooperation.

We want to see sooner rather than later that the four freedoms of the EU – movement of people, goods, services, and capital – are implemented across the region. And we will do everything in our hands to deliver on this goal through the power of our example. In this spirit, we will express our full support for the regional common market at the Berlin Process Summit on July 5th.

We know that only by working together and fostering regional cooperation in the framework of various regional initiatives – Common Regional Market, Regional Schengen, Green Lanes or more broadly, the Berlin Process – we would yield tangible results to our citizens. As a region of approximately 18 million people we can boost together our economy, increase the welfare of our people and attract major investments that otherwise would not be possible for any one of us alone.

On July 29th we will meet in person in Skopje to review progress and to sign agreements implementing Berlin Summit commitments among our three countries, on cooperation and assistance in the case of natural disasters, and facilitation of trade, exports and imports in our countries. We invite and encourage our colleagues in the region to sign and implement similar agreements so that the vision of shared political and economic space across the Western Balkans through the single market soon becomes an important part of our citizens’ everyday lives. In that spirit, we hope to invigorate the process of cooperation among us in the whole region, and we will continue to do our best to make it happen.

In the light of the difficulties caused by delays in the enlargement process, we believe that we can still identify new ways, cooperation policy areas, and financial instruments and strengthen the existing ones so that we enhance our contribution to Europe, our relationship with the EU and integrate the region gradually to the European single market.

So we decided today to ask the European Union that together with the United States take a step with us, and our colleagues across the region.

We aim to develop near-term projects that attract investments to protect our environment and increase large-scale use of renewables. This would be part of the implementation of the EU Economic and Investment Plan and of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans. Our countries have enormous potential for sustainable growth and development of this sector. We will ask for practical support in identifying the projects, which, on a large scale, can turn our region into a source of renewable energy to the benefit of our citizens and to the EU’s green energy future. We are looking forward to reporting progress on specific projects by the EU-Western Balkans Summit this fall.

We fully recognize and reiterate the importance of our region’s resources for Europe’s green transition. We therefore ask for the European Union, in close partnership with the United States, be part of developing those resources in ways that help the EU deliver on its plans while concurrently attracting more investment across our region, making it part of the European green transition,” according to the statement.

//a.i/

“But we are not alone, we will not be left alone, nor isolated. Here I am with my friend, colleague, friend, brother, Edi Rama. Our Macedonian people and the Albanian people are on the same path, we have the same vision, we share the same values and these are European values, not the policies of walls and divisions,” Zaev said.

“We do not stop here and we know that Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina support us on this road. We are Europe regardless of whether Europe succeeds in removing the blockades or not. Our peoples and our governments in the middle of the Balkans demonstrate European values and behavior. We rapidly started to remove the obstacles to cross borders, so that the citizens, services and goods can move freely. We have common ideas, common challenges, common cultures with our fraternal peoples of the region,” Zaev said.

“This has been within our expectations, the EU decision not to set a date for the First Intergovernmental Conference North Macedonia and Albania is nevertheless a great despair, but also an extremely great failure of the EU enlargement policy and is “a bad message for this region,” Zaev added.

“Bulgaria ‘s vote not to allow the negotiating framework, despite the stance of all member states, is not in the spirit of good neighborly relations. Our position is clear, we believe that European integration can not be held hostage to bilateral issues,” Zaev said. //a.i/

The meeting was held in Vienna on the sidelines of the Western Balkans Leaders Summit.

“I had the opportunity to discuss closely our regional cooperation with the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev. The implementation of Corridor VIII is the most ambitious project between our countries and we have a clear plan for its implementation “, said the minister.

Corridor Eight is one of ten “trans-European corridors” designed to facilitate the exchange of goods, people, oil and energy supplies between EU countries, the Balkan countries that have access to the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea and Central Asian states. Corridor eight connects the Adriatic Sea with the Black Sea. This corridor starts from the Italian ports of Bari and Brindisi, makes a stop at the port of Durres and then continues towards Tirana, Skopje and Sofia, reaching the ports of Burgas in Varna on the Black Sea./p.s./