Rama: Open Balkan fulfilled its mission, time to focus on Berlin Process

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the Open Balkan initiative had fulfilled its mission, and it is time to look at the path to EU membership as the capital of Tirana is set to hold the Berlin Summit in October.

The Open Balkan format involves Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia, with Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina refusing to participate, and Montenegro hesitating for now. It aims to facilitate free movement, trade, and ties between regional countries through a series of agreements, with leaders meeting periodically to sign agreements.

It has, however, been controversial, with Kosovo condemning the involvement of Serbia and fears being raised that it could harm the Berlin process, mainly as it was established at a time when EU enlargement was particularly stagnant.

Rama said it “was an initiative born out of the need to push forward the Berlin Process and has fulfilled the mission for which it was born. We must now plunge headlong into the Berlin Process because we have this opportunity.”

Serbian President Aleksander Vucic reacted to Rama’s statement stating, “I do not believe Rama said this. I hope I can see him soon. The Open Balkans is an autonomous and autonomous idea of people from the Balkans.” He said he will always consider any regional initiative as superior to those from “abroad”.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani also reacted to the news, stating that it is linked to the current geopolitical situation.

“I think that the reaction of the prime minister of Albania is a result of the recent events, the taking of the policemen,” he told Euronews Albania.

In mid-June, Rama warned of cooling relations with Serbia if the three policemen arrested by Serbia, reportedly from within Kosovo territory, were not released.

Albanian PM warns cooling relations with Serbia over arrest of Kosovo police

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that if the three Kosovo policemen apprehended by Serbia last week are not released this week, bilateral relations between Albania and Serbia will deteriorate.

“The longer these three men are kept in Serbia – even …

“The longer these three men are kept in Serbia – even if they have crossed the border line, they have not committed any crime – the less it will be possible for our bilateral relations not to take many steps back! This will be the week of the return of the ice between us if they are not released,” he said at the time.

Rama also said Albania will host the Berlin Summit in October 2023 as the country is “preparing for a big step forward.” Tirana became the first non-EU country to host the Western Balkan Summit in December 2022.

“We are working with the European Union for a new financing and economic support plan for all countries in the region that we really want to make concrete at the Berlin Summit in October,” Rama said, adding it would include increased funding to increase the access of the Western Balkans to the common European market.

But on the topic of Kosovo, Rama said he does not understand the stance of Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and he will not win this diplomatic battle.

“Albin is a person whom I value, a friend whom I respect, but in this case, he is the prime minister of Kosovo whom I do not understand,” said Rama. He added that Kurti’s statements and stance are legitimate, but it does not make sense to continue in this way when the so-called Franco-German plan, backed by the EU, is on the table.

“Having reached this point, having put Serbia in a tight box, the Euro-Atlantic community cannot understand or tolerate the behaviour of Kosovo authorities and the prime minister. It is behaviour like many years ago as if this whole process [EU dialogue] had not happened,” he added.

Rama said the international community is ready to extort the formal recognition of Kosovo out of Serbia or to accept the de facto relinquishment of Kosovo and the opening for recognition by non-recognisers. “It is inexplicable. What are the Kosovo authorities looking for?” he asked.

(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)