State Department Supports Any Initiative that Economically Strengthens the Balkans

State Department (Flickr.com/ Photo by: U.S. Department of State (IIP Bureau)

The U.S. State Department supports every regional initiative that is based on European principles, which has the goal of economically bolstering the Western Balkan states, Radio Free Europe reported on June 9.

This statement was made a day after the representatives of the three states that launched the Open Balkans initiative (Serbia, Albania and North Macedonia) signed agreements at a summit in Ohrid, North Macedonia on the mutual recognition of diplomas and academic titles and cooperation in the areas of tourism and culture, as well as a memorandum on cooperation between tax authorities for curbing tax evasion.

"The U.S. supports this and other initiatives that deepen regional economic support and advance the European path," the State Department said. An unnamed spokesman for the State Department who talked to Radio Free Europe declined to comment on the fact that Kosovo was refusing to be part of the Open Balkans and did not want to attend these meetings, saying, however, that "closer and more integrated cooperation across the Western Balkans has attracted energy investments."

Kosovo's stance is that the Open Balkans is a dangerous initiative which lacks a clear vision, and that the countries in the region should remain devoted to the EU agenda and cultivating trans-Atlantic relations.