Western Balkan Countries Sign Border Agreement

Leaders of Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia shake hands after signing agreement on October 10. (Balkan Insight)

The leaders of Albania, Serbia, and North Macedonia signed an agreement on October 10 to form a free trade and movement zone in the western Balkans. At a trilateral conference in Novi Sad, Serbia, they declared their intent to introduce passport-free travel among the three countries by 2021. 

Their objective mimics that of the Schengen Area, the free movement zone including most European Union (EU) member states. Though all three countries have applied to join the EU, Serbia is only in the early stages of the membership process, and Albania and North Macedonia have not yet begun negotiations.

Concerns about rule of law, as well as issues like corruption and organized crime, currently stand in the way of EU accession for the Balkan nations. Growing anti-enlargement sentiment within the EU and instability due to Brexit have further slowed down the process, making it unlikely that any of the nations will become members in the near future. 

With their EU prospects looking bleak, the leaders took matters into their own hands, meeting and creating a deal without external arbitration. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic alluded to past negotiations under EU guidance, but stressed that the nations “do not need a tutor.”

Economists claim that the removal of border restrictions could bring significant economic benefits to all three countries by establishing a regional market of almost 20 million consumers. Furthermore, experts have argued that better-coordinated economic laws among the countries could attract investment to the region. Albanian Prime Minister Eid Rama focused on economics in a statement to the press, citing a World Bank investigation which found that trucks spend 26 million hours each year at border crossings in the western Balkans.

Additionally, Vucic pointed out that facilitating economic relations could improve the quality of life for citizens of the region and create a “better future for our workers, our farmers, especially for young people, to stay in our countries.”

Beyond improving life in the western Balkans, the leaders looked to demonstrate their ability to cooperate to the rest of Europe. Zoran Zaev, the prime minister of North Macedonia, referenced this goal, saying, “We are sending the message that political relations in the region are becoming simpler, that the Balkans is no longer a gunpowder barrel but a region of stability, economic development, dedicated to European integration and to improving the standards of its citizens.”

Though the deal currently only involves the three signatories, another conference planned for November 10 will include leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Kosovo.

Ongoing conflicts within the region, particularly tensions between Serbia and Kosovo, have led experts to question the feasibility of truly open relations among the countries. However, Rama brushed off such concerns and expressed confidence for future cooperation, saying, “while this family has its own problems, we can’t be hostages of the past.”