Open Balkan promises 'great things' for peoples of Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia: Serbian president

Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania will hold a meeting on the Open Balkan initiative in early June, Serbia’s president said on Friday, asserting that “great things” are in the offing.

“Open Balkan is the best initiative for the peoples of the Balkans,” Aleksandar Vucic said after a virtual meeting with Albanian and North Macedonian officials.

“We are preparing great things for the citizens of Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia.”

The talks, which focused on enhancing cooperation between the three countries, were also attended by Serbia’s finance and trade ministers and other officials.

The June meeting of the Open Balkan initiative is scheduled to be held in the North Macedonian city of Ohrid.

Montenegro’s Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic is also expected to attend, according to Vucic.

At their recent meeting in Davos, Vucic and Abazovic hinted at the possibility of Montenegro becoming a part of Open Balkan, which could be formally announced during or after the Ohrid summit.

The Open Balkan initiative currently covers an economic and political zone between Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia, aimed at boosting trade and student exchange opportunities for some 12 million people, as well as encouraging the three countries’ integration into the European Union.