![\"Albanian](\"https:\/\/www.nejatngo.org\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/Zaev-Rama.jpg\")
summit held on December 20-21, hosted by Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama in the Albanian capital Tirana with his counterpart from North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev<\/p><\/div>\n
Sources:<\/strong><\/p>\n 1- Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia Deepen Ties At \u2018Open Balkan\u2019 Summit<\/strong> TIRANA \u2014 Albania, North Macedonia, and Serbia have signed a raft of deals and agreed to further their Open Balkan initiative to promote ties as the three countries\u2019 leaders held two days of talks in Tirana. They had previously decided to abolish customs controls from January 1, 2023. According to Zaev, \u201cOpen Balkan is our way forward on the road to the European Union.\u201d Officials of the three other Western Balkan countries seeking to join the EU \u2014 Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Montenegro \u2014 have expressed skepticism toward the Open Balkan initiative and rejected calls to join. \u2013<\/p>\n
\nRadio Free Europe<\/p>\n
\nAlbanian Prime Minister Edi Rama hosted the December 20-21 summit in the Albanian capital with his counterpart from North Macedonia, Zoran Zaev, and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.
\nThe sides inked six agreements on the labor market, electronic identification, and the lifting of nontariff barriers for businesses, among other things.<\/p>\n
\nRama said the Open Balkan initiative\u2019s goal is to establish a single market among its members and pave the way for EU membership.
\n\u201cOur goal is that the Balkans have no more borders for people, for the movement of goods, capital, and services \u2014 four European Union principles,\u201d Albania\u2019s prime minister said.
\nThe Open Balkan initiative, launched in October 2019, \u201cis one of the biggest ideas in today\u2019s Europe,\u201d according to Vucic.
\n\u201cThe most important goal is to unite people who have been focusing more on the past rather than the future. It is important to connect people and their businesses,\u201d the Serbian leader said.<\/p>\n
\nThe three Western Balkan countries are at different stages on the path to EU membership.
\nWhile Serbia has launched full membership negotiations, accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania have been delayed.
\n\u201cWe agreed that our three countries would not be held hostage to the failure of the European Union to unblock our European integration process,\u201d Zaev said. \u201cThat process can be stopped in Brussels, but the Europeanization and implementation of European values in Northern Macedonia, Serbia, and Albania have no reason to be on hold.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nVucic\u2019s arrival in Tirana on December 20 triggered a protest by thousands of Albanians opposed to his visit and the summit.
\nThe rally was called by former Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who said the Open Balkan initiative was meant to \u201cestablish Serbian hegemony in the region.\u201d
\nThe next Open Balkan summit is scheduled for February in North Macedonia\u2019s capital, Skopje.<\/p>\n