Djurdjevic on the "Open Balkan": A chance for citizens to find work on their own in the larger labor market

Serbia has a deficit of seasonal workers in agriculture, and Albania in the summer. North Macedonia, like its northern and western neighbors, lacks personnel in the IT sector, and all three countries do not have enough construction workers. These are just some of the challenges that the "Open Balkan" initiative will face, which, in addition to opening much greater opportunities for the economies of these countries, should give citizens the chance to find work on their own in a much larger labor market.

After the recent ratification of the Agreement on the conditions for free access to the labor market in the Western Balkans, the signing of the protocol is imminent, after which the entire system will be able to be put into use.

"The purpose of this agreement is not to take over a specific labor force or any competition between states. Healthy competition in terms of minimum working conditions, salaries, and other benefits will affect employers and their attitude towards what conditions they will offer to their workers," Nenad Djurdjevic, adviser to the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, told the Skopje "Lokalno" website.

As a perspective, he highlights the possibility of investing in the border zone (for example, between North Macedonia and Serbia), which would provide labor from both countries.

"Such an example is the one between Hungary and Ukraine. This is not something new - the company is located near the border, so citizens who live within a few kilometers can work there without any problems related to crossing the border," Djurdjevic says.

In the meantime, the "Open Balkan" initiative is already seeing its first benefits. The total trade exchange between Serbia and North Macedonia in 2022 amounted to 1.4 billion euros and increased by 32 percent compared to 2021. Serbia exported goods to North Macedonia in the amount of 970.4 million euros, which is 19 percent more than in 2021, and imports from North Macedonia were even higher by 66.3 percent and amounted to 511.2 million euros.