Cadez: Trade in Western Balkans Has Tripled in Ten Years

The Open Balkans initiative in Verona (BETAPHOTO/Government of North Macedonia)

Serbian Chamber of Commerce head Marko Cadez said on March 2 that trade in the Western Balkans had tripled over the last ten years, while wait times for goods at borders had dropped from two hours to a little over 20 minutes.

Speaking at the 33rd Kopaonik Business Forum, he said certain initiatives, like the Open Balkan initiative, had brought accelerated trade in goods in the region, adding that issues remained in certificate recognition, but that certain matters had been addressed systemically.

According to him, even though some things have changed for the better in relations between the region's nations, countries were still  afflicted with "the political factor" -- using "foreign and domestic enemies" to political ends and stirring up topics from the past, which affects business.

Cadez also said that every expansion of the European Union to date had been political first of all rather than bureaucratic. "It seems to me that this one now, whatever it's called, whether entry primarily into the single market or Schengen or tier 2 or associate membership without voting rights, will come very, very quickly as an intermediate step," he said.

Cadez also said that no big EU state would now admit any new members with veto rights. "It won't happen, fulfill what you may," he said.