3 memorandums and 1 agreement were signed at the end of the Open Balkan Summit.
The agreement signed between participating nations is centered around the fight against tax evasion. The three memorandums are linked to the recognition of university diplomas, cultural cooperation and cooperation in the tourism sector.
In addition to Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, representatives of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina participated at the summit as guests. Prime Minister Dritan Abazović and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers Zoran Tegeltija expressed their personal support for the initiative, of which their countries are still not part.
Open Balkan Summit in Ohrid, 8 June 2022; Photo: Government of North Macedonia
President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić said that the Open Balkan is an unstoppable initiative, a good idea that will have an increasing number of supporters throughout the region, RTS reported. Vučić proposed the formation of working groups for overcoming food supply and energy difficulties ahead of winter.
“It is important to form working groups immediately, or at the next meeting, which I suggest should be held in southern Serbia before the big summit… at the end of the summer in Belgrade”, he said.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said during the press conference at the Open Balkan Summit that the initiative which arose as the idea of three people now belongs to all.
“All it takes is to drive to Ohrid and you can see the difference when you cross the border checkpoint where a simple board says ‘The Green Corridor of the Open Balkan’ for all those who transport goods is a major relief”, he said
US Special Envoy to the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar addressed the Summit via video link, saying that the United States supports the Open Balkans, but that it is also in favor of cooperation and integration into the wider European structure.
“Cross-border cooperation in the Western Balkans should be aimed at greater European integration,” said Escobar
He called the Open Balkans a “great initiative”, but also said that he wanted to see more clarity on how it is supposed to function.