Balkan free travel area soon to be established
A Western Balkan initiative resembling the EU’s border-free Schengen Area could soon be officialized between at least 3 major countries of the Region.
The so-called “mini-Schengen” proposal is being designed to bring freedom of movement for people as well as free movement of goods, capital, and services between Albania, Serbia and North Macedonia.
Such a plan would create the environment for a full political and economic cooperation between the Countries involved thus bringing the mentioned nations closer to the standards that are so strongly sponsored and pursued in the European Union.
The project, officially named “Open Balkan initiative”, has received the formal endorsement of Washington and Bruxelles.
EU commissioner Olivér Várhelyi, addressing the initiative, recently declared as follows:
“I welcome the renewed impetus by leaders in the Western Balkans to advance on regional integration…
“…The war Russia has waged in Europe is a wakeup call on the need to speed up the EU accession process, a geostrategic investment in the stability and security of the whole of Europe…
“…Inclusive regional cooperation, based on EU rules, is key to bringing the Western Balkans closer to the EU’s single market, which is at the heart of our shared prosperity.”
Regional cooperation and political standing
On the aspect of regional cooperation, in an area until recently marked by a series of conflicts, the Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama stated:
“This region can no longer remain a hostage to the past in any aspect, and anyone who still fails to understand how small we are while divided and trying to create more jobs, open up more prospects for well-paid jobs, especially for young people, is doomed to live in the past.”
Rama also highlighted that the three countries want to build a path towards a better future through an initiative which, according to him, “simply brings to this area the example of the EU with the aim of implementing the four fundamental freedoms.”
The mentioned four freedoms are those involving the free movement of people, goods, capitals and services.
As a matter of fact, the aim of the project is to lead to the establishment of a common market which should bring the region closer to the European Union and accelerate the path to full membership begun several years ago.
North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zaev, declared on the matter:
“The rest of Europe will respect us more if we are united, and besides, each of the Balkan countries can choose which part of this initiative they want to participate in, according to its own interests.”
Such statement openly refers to other Balkan Nations that showed interest in the initiative but subsequently decided not to sponsor or take part into it.
On other western Balkan nations’ point of view
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo, while initially involved in the debate on the project have chosen not to support it.
Bosnia and Montenegro formally declared they saw no particular benefit in the initiative, since easing travel and trade are already covered by the CEFTA agreement, and by bilateral agreements between countries.
Kosovo, on the other hand, has voiced a stronger political objection, whit Prime Minister Albin Kurti declaring: “For us, the so-called ‘Mini-Schengen’ is without any vision for the region. We have proposed advancing regional cooperation from CEFTA to SEFTA, according to EFTA-EEA model, from which all Western Balkans countries would benefit simultaneously.”
Similarities between western Balkan initiative and Schengen area
The so-called Mini Schengen Zone takes its nickname from the Schengen Area due to the similar concept of an open travel and market region; while the goals of the two institutional unions are the same, the regions are distinct and currently do not share any member.
The Schengen Area is made up of 26 countries amongst which are Spain, Italy, France, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Germany.
The new Open Balkan Initiative will be established between Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, and possibly one day joined by other countries of the Balkan area.
Being completely separated as far as immigration is concerned, Schengen Visas and the upcoming ETIAS visa waiver will not be valid to enter Serbia, Albania, and other members of the new region. Likewise national visas issued by Open Balkan Initiative’s Countries will only be valid to travel in such region without having therefore any value to allow accesso to EU and Schengen nations whatsoever.