The three Balkan leaders involved in the ‘Balkan Schengen’ or ‘Mini Schengen’ agreed that the countries of the Western Balkans need membership in the European Union, just as the Union needs the region as well, because the WB is surrounded by EU and aspiring countries share common European values.
Rama, Vucic and Zaev discussed the removal of barriers and free movement, but there are no details on how such initiatives will be implemented.
“We call on and encourage our colleagues in the region to sign and implement similar agreements, so that the vision of a common political and economic space throughout the Western Balkans soon becomes an important part through the single market,“ noted premiers of Albania and North Macedonia Edi Rama and Zoran Zaev as well as Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. They started their meeting at 10 on Tuesday morning, which lasted over one hour, reported Serb media.
Kosovo was not represented in this meeting, as it has been stated before that it does not recognize “Balkan Schengen”. Kosovo is not part of the Schengen area and the visit of Kosovo PM Albin Kurti to Paris did not produce any results as the French President Macron was against visa liberalization for Kosovo people. France is known for its historical affiliation with Serbia.
The three WB leaders met after the latest decision of the EU under the Portuguese Presidency to put off the opening of the accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia and freeze the talks with Serbia.
Balkan leaders have been harsh over such a development blaming the EU countries for dragging deliberately the enlargement process towards the Western Balkans. According to them, some members do not want an increase of the number 27 of the countries which are part of the Union. / argumentum.al
