LONDON – The UK Government, led by Keir Starmer, hosted a summit of the Berlin Process today in London. The main topics of the discussion were the promotion of regional cooperation, as well as the ways in which security and growth can be increased.
Western Balkans Six were represented by the Prime Ministers of Albania (Edi Rama), Montenegro (Milojko Spajić), North Macedonia (Hristijan Mickoski), and Serbia (Đuro Macut), as well as by Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH Borjana Krišto and Acting Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti.
The Berlin Process was established in 2014 as a platform for high-level cooperation between the governments of the Western Balkans Six – Albania, BiH, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, along with European partners (Austria, Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia, France, and Croatia).
Its aim is to strengthen regional cooperation, support economic development, and accelerate the Western Balkans’ efforts on their path to EU accession.
In the press release, the British Government stated that gang leaders, passport forgers and illicit financiers enabling people-smuggling through the Western Balkans had been sanctioned by the UK.
“Targets include Balkan-based criminal gangs involved in selling fake passports, and a shadowy financial network supplying small boat engines… Sanctions are the latest example of cooperation with Western Balkan countries to tackle organised immigration crime”, the press release states.
Starmer noted that “our joint efforts have already halved irregular border crossings and cut Albanian small boat arrivals by 95%”.
Earlier this month, the British Foreign Secretary announced £10 million of investment to combat people-smuggling across the Western Balkans and other regions across the world.
This funding will drive a series of initiatives, including enhanced law enforcement training in Kosovo, reinforced border security measures, and expanded support services for individuals at risk of trafficking in Serbia.
Taking over the Presidency of the Berlin Process from the UK on behalf of Montenegro, Prime Minister Milojko Spajić said that “a year of great European success is coming”.
“Montenegro takes over the Presidency of the Berlin Process in the most important year on the European path so far! We are ready to welcome 2026, in which we will celebrate two decades since the restoration of independence, close all negotiating chapters, organise the EU-Western Balkans Summit, chair the committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and the Western Balkans Fund”, Spajić wrote on X.
According to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, “since the aggression of Ukraine, thanks to Vladimir Putin, Europe woke up”.
“And it’s not only saying how important it is for the European Union to get the Western Balkans inside, but it’s also doing its best to accelerate it”, Rama stressed.
The Government of Serbia stated that Prime Minister Đuro Macut said in London that his initiative regarding the liberalisation of the visa regime between Serbia and Great Britain has been met with understanding from British officials.
“After a reception given by British King Charles III on the occasion of the Berlin Process, Macut said that he sent a request to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper to consider the possibility of liberalising the visa regime, at least for certain categories of Serbian citizens, i.e. for those who want to get educated or attend advanced academic programmes in Great Britain”, the press release notes.
