TIRANA – Prime Ministers of Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia met today in Tirana. The focus of the meeting was on the Berlin Process summit that will be held in Albania in the fall, as well as the New Financial and Economic Support Plan of the EU for the Western Balkans, Prime Minister Edi Rama wrote on his Facebook page following the meeting.
European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi also attended, tweeting after the meeting that the EU is committed to carrying out this economic convergence plan fast.
Commenting on the plan, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski stated that it was ambitious agenda that the leaders will work on together until October and after, including the ratification and putting into operation the agreements that were already signed at the meeting in Berlin last year, first of all the mutual recognition of diplomas.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister of Serbia Ana Brnabić said that the initiatives within the Open Balkans, which are “quite complementary with the Berlin Process”, were discussed as well. She expressed hope that the new growth plan will be operating by the end of the year, enabling the region to reap benefits from it in 2024.
Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti previously informed Prime Minister Rama that he will not be able to attend this time, as he confirmed his participation in a conference in Crete, Greece, where the panel on the Western Balkans is scheduled for the same day and time, Kurti’s spokesperson announced. Kosovo’s opposition criticized Kurti’s decision not to attend, Euronews Albania reported.