Western Balkan leaders sign 3 agreements to boost regional cooperation

BERLIN (AA) – Western Balkan countries signed three agreements on Thursday to enable free movement and closer regional cooperation.

The leaders of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia signed the agreements during the Western Balkan Conference in Berlin.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who hosted the summit, said two years of negotiations facilitated by Germany made it possible to reach an agreement on these accords, which introduces mutual recognition of ID cards, university diplomas and vocational qualifications.

“The agreements will enable your citizens to cross the borders between your countries using only their ID cards,” he said.

“They will ensure that the student from Sarajevo can complete his studies in Belgrade, or that an engineer from Tirana can use his degree and take on a job offer in Skopje,” he added.

Scholz said the agreements will not only make people’s life easier but also boost economy and investment in the region.

“I congratulate you on taking these bold steps after more than two years of tough negotiations. It brings you significantly closer to EU standards and complements the common regional market that all of your countries committed to in 2020,” he added.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, and EU’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell also attended the summit.