The Berlin process and the economy: Can the creative industry unite the Western Balkans?

A Joint Declaration on the development of the creative economy in the Western Balkans was recently signed in London under the patronage of this year’s host of the Berlin Process, the United Kingdom. This expanding industrial sector may help the region not only through economic benefits but also by fostering deeper regional integration. Instead of building walls, bridges must be built, say Kosovo Online’s interlocutors.

Written by: Djordje Barovic

“The creative economy can be a driver of growth for all communities. It has enormous potential in the Western Balkans,” stated Karen Pierce, the UK’s Special Envoy to the Western Balkans, following the adoption of the Joint Declaration that places the region’s creative economy at the core of its economic and European future.

Pierce emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in the Western Balkans and the need for long-term investment in areas that support sustainable growth, promote social cohesion, and deepen regional ties.

A similar project—the Regional Creative Network—was launched last year in Belgrade at the initiative of the national platform Serbia Creates. It brought together creative centers, organizations, and initiatives from Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania, and Serbia.

According to a statement, the creative industries and innovation possess significant potential for regional cooperation, cultural diplomacy, and the creation of a creative ecosystem, as well as for enhancing the region’s international positioning and fostering joint economic and technological progress.

According to data from the Serbian Chamber of Commerce (SCC) in 2017, creative industries contributed approximately 4.6% to Serbia’s GDP, with 4% of the Serbian workforce employed in the sector. Additionally, creative industries demonstrated strong export potential, with more than 25% annual export growth, making it one of the fastest-growing sectors of Serbia’s economy.

“Warming up” for Autumn

Nenad Djurdjevic, Advisor to the President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, emphasized that Serbia is a regional leader in this field.

In an interview with Kosovo Online, he explained that the term “creative industries” encompasses a broad spectrum of services, primarily involving SMEs working in film, cultural events, and IT.

“Serbia leads not only in the Western Balkans but beyond. Our IT service exports have surpassed agricultural exports—and we know Serbia is a proud agricultural country,” Djurdjevic noted.

He described the London Declaration as a "warm-up" for the Berlin Process summit scheduled for the autumn in the UK.

“The signed declaration on cooperation in creative industries is clearly the first official initiative hosted by London, bringing together Western Balkan participants around a topic that may serve as a precursor to more serious discussions to come,” said Djurdjevic, who also coordinates the Berlin Process within the SCC.

He added that while details on how the region would network are still lacking, the involvement of the British Council gives him confidence.

“The fact that the British Council is part of this arrangement is encouraging—not only was the declaration signed, but the programs run by the Council in all these countries are expected to develop.

What has often been a weakness of the Berlin Process is that many summit agreements were either not implemented or only partially realized,” Djurdjevic explained.

Asked whether the Open Balkan initiative could contribute to this process, Djurdjevic emphasized the value of what has already been achieved through it:

“The spirit of Open Balkan and its early declarations can be implemented through the Berlin Process—if there is political will. Certain measures and laws have been adopted, which are a positive legacy. Cooperation on biosanitary and veterinary certificates, border crossings, mutual recognition of documents, labor market integration with Albania—these are all crucial,” he said.

Walls and Bridges

Former President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce Safet Grxhaliu stressed that the peoples of the Western Balkans must break down walls and strengthen bridges through the economy, with the creative industry as a tool for achieving that goal. He also called for separating the economy from politics.

“Through the creative economy, we must break down the walls that divide us and strengthen cooperation bridges. Culture, film, literature, music… all belong to the creative economy and should be supported and promoted. Ultimately, the creative economy may help us psychologically reshape the image of the Western Balkans and teach us that not only bad news is good news,” Grxhaliu said.

He believes the Berlin Process is “the best thing to happen to the Western Balkans in the past 25–26 years,” and that the recent declaration is just one element of this reconciliation-oriented initiative.
“This isn’t just about economics—it’s also political, cultural, musical... It’s about adding another dimension to economic cooperation. We live in the digital age and a new world order known as ‘Trumpism,’ so it’s wise to use creative methods and models to rediscover ourselves and better understand each other’s cultures,” he said.

Still, Grxhaliu warned that the region suffers from an excess of agreements with little implementation and reiterated the need to distance this process from political interference.

“Young generations are much more open to creativity in any context. That’s why, with support from governments or foreign donors, the creative economy can become a bridge of connection and trust-building among people—and, through that, a path toward EU integration, which is the ultimate goal for every country in the Western Balkans,” he said.

An Underrated Topic

Anamarija Velinovska, researcher at the Institute for Democracy in Skopje, emphasized that any attempt to connect the Western Balkans is positive—and that collaboration in the creative industry, previously underestimated, can help because the region already shares a common history, language, and culture.

“Any effort to connect the region—whether declarative or actionable—should be welcomed. This is something new and different: a creative economy, a rarely discussed topic. I would say it’s been quite undervalued in the Western Balkans,” Velinovska told Kosovo Online.

She emphasized that this field requires significant knowledge and resources. The region’s strength lies in its shared heritage.

“This is a region that shares elements of history, language, and culture. Such commonalities—especially in the creative economy—can significantly benefit citizens. However, substantial investment is needed for development,” she said.

The process will largely depend, she noted, on the development of digitization and artificial intelligence—areas where the region lags behind the rest of Europe.

“Today, creative economies go hand in hand with digital advancement. We must redefine which industries belong to the creative sector and how digitization and AI will affect them. Our region is still behind. Cultural cooperation often lags behind and is undermined by political tensions and nationalism, which tend to take precedence over cultural collaboration,” she warned.

Positive examples of regional creative economy cooperation exist but remain insufficient. A 2022 study by the Regional Cooperation Council highlighted the need for greater investment in film, music, and tourism collaboration.

“We must approach this creatively. Three years after that study, we now have some tangible solutions—this year the Creative Gate Regional Digital Platform was launched to bring together business professionals and individuals from the sector,” Velinovska noted.

She added that many other professions fall under the creative economy umbrella, but that, for now, music and film festivals are the main drivers.

“The region is known for its music and film festivals, which build a regional cultural brand and belong to the creative economy. So we see the beginning, but more development is needed in practice,” she said.

She also stressed that Berlin Process projects do not undermine the Open Balkan initiative—they complement it.

“The scope of the Berlin Process is broader than that of the Open Balkan. It includes economic issues tied to the regional common market, the green agenda, gender issues, investment climate, and more. While Open Balkan has a more economic and political tone, it’s natural for more innovative declarations to fall under the Berlin Process, which includes all six Western Balkan countries,” Velinovska said.

She concluded that Berlin Process initiatives should not be viewed as rivals to Open Balkan.

“Any attempt at regional cooperation should not be seen as competition between initiatives, but rather as complementary efforts. Every effort to promote cooperation in culture and develop these industries is of great importance for the region,” she concluded.

Reviving Potential

Eduard Djokutaj, economic expert and analyst from the “Altax” company in Tirana, believes that developing and investing in creative economies will revive the region’s potential and prevent the emigration of talented youth from the Western Balkans.

“The creative economy is an initiative not only to develop the economy through art, culture, and various talents, but also to stop the current trend of young talents leaving the Balkans for developed countries,”

Djokutaj emphasized.

He sees the Joint Declaration from London as a continuation of the Creative Europe project.
However, he stressed the importance of adapting to new technologies for the success of the Berlin Process initiative—particularly in Albania.

“A comprehensive strategy is needed for all things related to the creative economy. While our budget is limited, a fund is necessary to stimulate early-stage startups and create cooperation bridges for regional projects that go beyond culture to include a spirit of collaboration—something the Berlin Process needs.

These bridges will bring us closer to European market standards,” Djokutaj said confidently.
He views the London initiative as a way to revive the region’s creative industry potential, which, with proper financial incentives, could boost GDP across the Western Balkans.

“Focusing on the creative economy and allocating a fund to support it helps the segment of the economy that the Balkans have developed—culture and the arts—and makes it more visible to the world. Revitalizing this sector could raise GDP by 2–3%,” he explained.

This would also strengthen cooperation in the region:

“That’s one of the goals of cultural and artistic community interaction. It’s about creating markets that aspire to reach the standards of more advanced European markets,” he added.
Djokutaj considers the Open Balkan initiative to be an “annex” to the Berlin Process.

“Open Balkan was mainly an annex to the Berlin Process—an initiative aiming to personalize the program further. It hasn’t achieved full success due to the lack of participation from nearly half the Balkan countries and unclear benefits for its members,” he said.

By contrast, the Berlin Process initiative for creative economy integration aims to “unite as many resources and potentials” as possible in the region.

“In our case, Albania’s economy is fragmented—education, health, and economic sectors all operate separately. This initiative tries to synthesize these approaches more systematically, and it becomes more effective at the regional cooperation level,” Djokutaj explained.

That’s why he believes the creative economy will activate all talented resources with an innovative mindset.

“This will be like an incubator for new startups—offering funding, knowledge, information, and partnerships. Helping talent collaborate will naturally create potential for economic expansion and the development of businesses rooted in art, culture, and talent,” he concluded.

A Regional Opportunity

Elena Bojadzijeva Cvetkovska, Creative Director of the Union of Macedonian Professional Associations in the Creative Industry (UMPAKI), believes the creative economy is one of the fastest-growing sectors globally—and could be a major opportunity for the Western Balkans with the right legislation and funding.

“Given that the creative or ‘orange’ economy is one of the fastest-growing globally, every new funding package unlocked for the Western Balkans is welcome. Although we’re small markets, with the right strategy, laws, and financial support, we can achieve a lot,” Bojadzijeva Cvetkovska told Kosovo Online.
She cited successful examples in small countries that significantly boosted GDP—by 4% to 10%—through creative economy strategies.

“One example is Georgia with its ‘Creative Georgia’ program. Malta, too—where the creative economy accounts for 10% of GDP,” she noted.

The Western Balkans already has examples of cooperation in this sector.

“There are ongoing projects and financing already available. There’s also the Western Balkan creative industry network. ‘Serbia Creates’ works with UMPAKI and Banja Luka, as well as other partners gradually joining,” she explained.

Asked whether the Berlin Process overshadows or supports the Open Balkan initiative, Bojadzijeva Cvetkovska emphasized that any support for the creative sector is welcome.
“Every positive initiative is welcome. Any mechanism that helps finance the Balkans is essential—especially for young people, who deserve to benefit from such efforts,” she said.