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The United States gave its blessing to the Open Balkans through special envoy Gabriel Escobar.
But the State Department envoy gave for the first time a clear definition of this initiative and its character.
Escobar: The US supports you that the initiative is economic, this is not a political project, but it is an important economic project and should remain so.
Kosovo refuses to be part of this initiative, as it calls it an initiative of Serbia. The ironic attitudes of the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, as if the initiative is a project of Belgrade, served to throw gasoline on the fire in Tirana and Pristina. Edi Rama immediately took the position of firefighter.
Rama: If the gentleman were the promoter or supporter of the Open Balkans, surely the Balkans would be minimally open to him. He could not enter the Balkans because the Balkans are completely closed to him and for this reason he could not get permission to enter the Balkans.
The Serbian president also stated that Moscow had nothing to do with the Open Balkans.
Vucic: I am not ashamed of the good traditional relations we have with the Russian federation. The Open Balkans is an idea of Zoran Zaev, Edi Rama and mine. no one else has participated in this idea.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro joined the initiative for the first time in the role of observer. But Dritan Abazovic signaled one more step in the near future.
The initiators of the Open Balkans say that this process helps European integration, a process that has been widely criticized as excluding our countries.
Rama: I used to get courage from the EU, now I feel sorry for them. We will no longer wait for the wedding. We are Europeans ourselves, the EU does not make us.
The European Commission also sees the Open Balkans as a positive step towards integration.
Varhelyi: The Open Balkans could also be an opportunity to speed up the road to the EU.
For Americans, however, the process will be successful if all countries become part.
Escobar: For the initiative to be successful, it must be open to all, it must involve all 6 countries of the Western Balkans at the same level.
But according to the northern Macedonian prime minister, as in EU integration, so in the Open Balkans, the time for prayer is over.
Kovacevski: The invitation for the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti is open. We urge them all to join us.
The summit also had its practical part with four agreements of economic, educational and cultural character. But the real news of this round, was the clear American determination for this initiative that aims to create a common economic space, rejecting the accusations of creating federations or economic unions.
Something that was also supported by the European Commission. Kosovo was absent this time, and will certainly be absent in the September round, which takes place in Belgrade.
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