TIRANA, November 3 – “It is time to overcome regional conflicts, which have kept you divided for a long time, and the process of normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia must be accelerated.”
This appeal was made by the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz at the opening of the Berlin Process Summit chaired by him in Berlin on Thursday. This Summit launched by the former Chancellor Angela Merkel is being held after a three-year interval creating suspicions if Germany would continue to head such an initiative.
In addition to the request to speed up the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Scholz appealed for the talks to yield concrete results.
According to him, Europe is not complete without six countries of the Western Balkans “Citizens of the Western Balkans can count on Germany and on the Berlin process. Europe without the Western Balkans is not complete, and the countries of the region should have confidence in the Berlin process,” said Scholz.
In the meantime he said that the Berlin process will advance the integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union.
“Together we protect European values. Your membership is in our interest. The promise of Europe’s future is our duty to make it a reality. That’s what brings us all together here. I’m glad to see that this vision is similar for all of us,” said Scholz.
It is reported that the leaders of the six WB countries signed the agreement on the mutual recognition of identity cards, which provides for free movement, recognition of university degrees and professional qualifications.
According to him, with the three agreements, three major steps will be taken that will make life easier for the citizens of these six countries.
“A Common Regional Market (CRM) will boost the economy and investments in your region. The agreements will allow your citizens to cross borders only with identity cards, and we will make sure that students from Sarajevo finish their studies in Belgrade, or architects from Tirana get a job in Skopje. It aligns you with European standards,” Scholz said.
The participants of the summit emphasized the desire to continue the Berlin Process in order to use the full potential of improved and inclusive regional cooperation and agreed that the next summit within the framework of the Berlin Process in 2023 will be held in Albania.
The meeting with the leaders of the Western Balkans was attended by the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen and the President of the European Council Charles Michel. /Argumentum.al
