Prime Minister Edi Rama’s remarks at the joint press conference with North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, after Skopje Economic Forum:
Prime Minister Edi Rama: I remember that search and rescue teams from Serbia and North Macedonia were among the search and rescue teams from countries in the region to arrive instantly after Albania was hit by the earthquake. What did we realize at that moment tragic?
We realized how important it was for us not to feel alone and how valuable it was for us to have as many forces as possible deployed in a destroyed ground, with hundreds of human lives still under the rubble. Today we signed an agreement for us to be together in any event when our countries, God forbid it, have to cope with the natural catastrophes. Now, would you please tell me, or let anyone much wiser then me and tell me what would be wrong for Kosovo, Montenegro, and Bosnia and Herzegovina if they were to join this initiative, which clears the way for our emergency crews to interact, train together and share common alarm system and together deploy where help is needed, or in the case where because of the climatic changes, or even because of criminal actions, huge forest areas are burned down. What would possibly be wrong if helicopters from our countries, all together fly to the area, so that our specialized teams come together to extinguish fires. This is the spirit of this initiative. I won’t comment further on that.
– Mr. Rama, would you share same principles with Kosovo, just like you did with North Macedonia?
PM Rama: I repeat, it is not only me, but all three of us have repeatedly stated not only verbally, but also through our statements, that this is not an exclusive, but an inclusive initiative. It is not exclusive, but inclusive. Most importantly, this initiative is open and free for each country to act according to their interest. Albania will carry out this process with all countries in the region, whenever and in whatever possible manner. We have no problem with it, should any other country refuses to do it or does it partially. We want the communities in our countries, be them residents or business entities, enjoy a space of European freedom within our region. There is no problem at all about that. I would like to add something about this point, and it is something I have reiterated more than once, since the question was about Kosovo. Serbia and the President of Serbia have gone the extra mile by accepting for the initiative to be not only inclusive, but even go beyond the Berlin Process in terms of the free movement of citizens. This means that none of the societies in this territory are discriminated in this respect, there is no citizen in this territory discriminated. Apart from the open issue between Serbia and Kosovo, this initiative tells people, individuals and businesses thy are all equal, in spite of the fact an open issue has yet to be resolved at the state and institutional level and which is on the way to be tackled as part of the difficult dialogue between two countries.
This is a colossal opportunity for all our societies. This is a huge potential and not only we can’t afford, but we also haven’t the right as leaders to keep this potential undeveloped. We haven’t the right to deprive our countries and our societies from the direct economic growth, which is not something we or the experts at the Finance Ministries in Belgrade, Tirana or Skopje say. This is what the international financial bodies say, namely the World Bank. Enter this process and your economies and GDP will grow.
How can we possibly say no and for what reason we would do so?
If there is anyone who would prove through facts the conspiracy, the negative site and the secret, then I would apologize. But there is nothing to be hidden here, there is no wrongdoing and no conspiracy here. This is an initiative speaking to the future, an initiative that communicates with the future. The more we communicate about the future, much easier we will be able to tackle the past. The past cannot hold nations hostage.
We are ready to reach such deals with everyone. Prior to even joining this process, we drafted legislation treating citizens in the region equally to the EU citizens when it comes to the obtaining residence and work permit. It is absurd that we treat EU citizens as first-class citizens in our own countries, while treating residents from the neighboring countries as second-class citizens. This is nonsense. This is what we have actually done. Our imitative, the initiative of the three of us will be inclusive for all of the issues that have nothing to do with the governments’ will. We won’t classify young people into first-class and second-class citizens, when it comes to the university, school and Olympic movement, when it comes to opportunities to cooperate on culture, cinematography, etc.
We certainly can’t decide on behalf of other governments when it comes to the agreements on free movement of goods. We will abolish border controls between our countries from January 1, 2023. Other countries are welcome to join us. However, nobody will impede them even they decide not to join us. And please stop with the claims over refusal to invite other countries. The six countries gathered in Tirana initially to discuss, yet the differences were obvious. Some want to join, others not. This is not a problem at all. However, I would like to reiterate here what I already stated there; the highways, railways, the free movement of goods, are probably not the same thing as democracy, but it is very difficult to defend freedom and democracy. So I fully support the conviction that the best policy is cooperation, rapprochement, economy, and youth.
– How would you prevent customs issues, when it comes to disputes over these issues?
PM Edi Rama: The cooperation is very simple. A loaded lorry has to wait for hours long before entering our region. Likewise, a truck has to wait at least for ten hours before it leaves our region and enters the EU area. In addition to the 10-hour wait time, it would take ten times longer drive time to reach a destination without our region.
We have no right not to spare our enterprises and manufacturers of this torture, but cutting the border wait time to zero. This also provides another opportunity. By unifying the food safety certificates and any other required certificate for free movement in line with the European Union standards, we create an area that we want it include the six countries in the region, and this is going to be the case one day although they are wasting time, but the countries currently involved will jointly ask the European Union to remove the wait time for the goods from our countries entering and leaving the Eurozone. Our argument is very strong, not only because of the standard, but also because of the critical mass all our countries represent together. Albania can set its own standards. Serbia can also set its own standards. North Macedonia too. Should these standards be not reciprocally recognized and valid for every country, no matter which laboratory has set them, we then remain secluded and isolated within our own borders, as if the border around the EU is not enough and we also need our ridiculous borders dividing us to torment our own citizens.
Second; the volume of goods transiting the region to head then to third countries, except Albania and partly Kosovo, come mostly from Thessaloniki. Transforming our region to have its own gateway and exit point will be an added value for everyone. Some claim that Serbia is peacefully securing access to the sea, something it has failed to do previously forcibly. Do you realize we have slipped into a slump in the XXI century!
This should be valid for every country and the entire region should become a border-free space. I am confident that the power of example and not the example of power will sooner rather than later attract other countries to this process as they will figure out to do so after seeing the outcome and results of this process. What we did today and what we will next do in Belgrade and then in Tirana again, is no longer a tour of talks – although we will keep talking and providing explanations – but it is about taking concrete steps towards more deals and commitments. As of January 1, 2023, this area will resemble an area among three EU member states. Other countries will find everything ready since efforts have been already made. They will be just wasting time if they fail to join now. They will do so in the near future. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo will join the process, because the citizens of these countries, businesses in these countries – who are the reason why we exist, as Zoran said, will do so.
– A lot is being said about lack of highways and railways in the region. What do you plan to do in order to improve them and will this initiative expand further to include more projects in this domain?
PM Edi Rama: Our region desperately needs interconnectivity. The truth is that countries are making progress in terms of developing roads infrastructure. Serbia has made significant progress. North Macedonia too. I believe the same goes for Albania. However, we face a huge shortcoming in terms of the railway infrastructure and I hope the three countries together will make available their best human resources to transform railway systems and entire railway transport, develop a common vision and development program for the entire region. Then, of course, each country has its own sovereignty in terms of their share, but we can address to the European Commission together regarding the part of the economic investment plan concerning development of the railways.
Second, as far as the energy sector is concerned, I am absolutely convinced that we are sufficiently alarmed about the future should we fail to take the right steps, but we in this region are rich enough to take the right steps. Therefore, we will work together on energy to figure out what we can deliver, not only at a national level, but also at the regional level in view of the national interests of each country.
Third, the digitalization.
The three are actually the major needs of our countries, but they also are the main three pillars of the EU investment plan. We are small if alone and we can’t make our voice be heard this way. However, we would be considerably large if together in terms of the investment potential, our voice would be stronger.
Thank you!
