By Pieter Cleppe
Montenegro’s Development and Tourism Minister Goran Đurović has stated that the country is not against joining the “Open Balkan” initiative, following a meeting with his Serbian counterpart in Belgrade.
The governments of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia launched the Open Balkan initiative in October 2019. The aim of it is to establish an area without barriers to the movement of goods, people, services and capital.
Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have however refused to join the initiative so far, considering the initiative to take them further from EU membership.
Montenegro’s stance now seems to appear a change. Đurović specified:
“Any initiative that leads to the removal of barriers, faster movement of goods and services, will be accepted in Montenegro.”
Montenegro minister speaks in favour of Open Balkan initiative https://t.co/eFXqPsim45
— EURACTIV (@EURACTIV) May 30, 2022
Recently, the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said he endorses the Open Balkan idea, adding he hopes that other countries join the initiative as well.
Charles Michel endorses Open Balkan and calls on other countries to join
➡️https://t.co/ad74x0rSIn pic.twitter.com/PT2KSgv6NT
— Euronews Albania (@EuronewsAlbania) May 20, 2022
Then, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama said it was a ‘mistaken myth’ that Germany would be against the initiative.
Interesting that @eucopresident expressed his “personal” support for the Open Balkan initiative, which I also discuss here: https://t.co/jHwksmn8axhttps://t.co/AxWV8QUKBw #openbalkan
— Pieter Cleppe (@pietercleppe) May 23, 2022
@Powershoots : Deputy Prime Minister for Minority Issues/#HumanRights of the Republic of #Kosovo, #EmilijaRedzepi, meets @L_P_Berg Lars Patrick Berg today in the #European_Parliament https://t.co/dAaAuSARLN pic.twitter.com/9BZMFox2K1
— Alexander Louvet (@Powershoots) May 11, 2022