Radovanovic: Open Balkan is not retiring, agreements are being implemented

The Head of the Center for Regional Cooperation at the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Aleksandar Radovanovic, tells Kosovo Online that although the Open Balkan initiative is currently not at the forefront, it has not been "retired," as all agreements made within the initiative are being implemented and are benefiting businesses.

"None of it will be discontinued. Open Balkan is currently on the back burner, but it can always be reactivated if there is a need, political will, and interest," Radovanovic said.

One example of projects originating from the Open Balkan initiative is the Wine Vision Open Balkan fair, now being held for the third time in Belgrade. Radovanovic highlights that this year surpassed all records from the previous two, with more than 650 exhibitors from 38 countries and over 400 international buyers from around 45 nations.

"Participants come from all over, including the Far East, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and even several African countries this year. More than 4,000 meetings were initiated over two days via the Serbian Chamber of Commerce's 'B2Match' platform. The idea of the fair is to give countries in our region an opportunity to present their wines to a global audience, positioning us on the map of significant wine producers known for high-quality products exported worldwide. This is truly a great idea with tangible economic benefits," Radovanovic explained.

He says that as a result of agreements within the Open Balkan initiative, business operations have become significantly more cost-effective and efficient, particularly through streamlined import-export processes. He highlighted the agreement on work permits as especially important.

"Today, with just a click, you can get a job in North Macedonia or Albania, and citizens are already taking advantage of this benefit. Several thousand people have applied for work permits across the three countries. The very sense of being able to move freely within the region for employment is a significant achievement. I would also emphasize the agreement on the trade of agricultural products. We have made significant progress in regional integration, as what CEFTA plans to pilot in 2025, we have been implementing for two or three years through Open Balkan among North Macedonia, Serbia, and Albania. We mutually recognize reports from accredited laboratories, whereas CEFTA's action plan and the Regional Cooperation Council are still planning this. It shows that when there is political will, the process of European Union accession can indeed be accelerated," Radovanovic stated.

He adds that all aspects of the Open Balkan agenda have been integrated into the Berlin Process and the Growth Plan offered by the European Union to accelerate regional integration and that current efforts are focused on implementing the Growth Plan's action plan, but this does not mean that Open Balkan has been shut down.