Vučić: "We are signing two protocols"; 6 billion euros on the table VIDEO

President Aleksandar Vučić attends the "Western Balkans and the EU" meeting today, as well as the leaders' meeting on the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

Source: B92.net Monday, 22.01.2024. | 10:01

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Foto: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

A panel discussion of leaders was held, in which Vučić, Prime Minister of Montenegro Milojko Spajić, Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama, Prime Minister of the Interim Institutions in Pristina Albin Kurti, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski took part.

After the discussion, a press conference was held.

First of all, Vučić greeted the Macedonian hosts and thanked them for their hospitality.

"First of all, I want to greet the Macedonian brothers, to thank them for their hospitality. We only spoke with European and American representatives about the growth plan - one is the common European market," said Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Vučić said that the meetings they had last night were important for the entire region.

"We talked about the common European market, that is, about the 'green lines' for our trucks to pass freely across the borders of the European Union... In the coming days, we will sign two protocols that are important and concern free access to the workforce. The second point concerns of the EU Growth Plan, that is, what we have to do in order to get the money and use it. We presented our growth plan and it fits into that agenda," said Vučić.

As stated by the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, two important protocols will be signed in the coming days.

"What is important news is that in the coming days we will sign two important protocols for starting from March 1 the operation of the agreement on free access to the labor market in Tirana, Belgrade and Skopje, and the second part is the Growth Plan, and we talked about it at length last night, what we need to undertake in order to get that money, what are the conditions, what reforms do we need to undertake...", he said and added:

"As far as Belgrade is concerned, we presented our Growth Plan for the next three years on Saturday, we will do our best to make those reforms to get access to those funds, only by working together can we make great progress... It seems to me that this is the first time we are meeting and only talking about economic and not political issues in which we differ", concluded Vučić in a live broadcast from Skopje.

Kovačevski opened the meeting

Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski opened the meeting with a short address.

Kovačevski stated that at the end of the Western Balkans summit, which is being held in Skopje, a joint declaration will be adopted.

Before the start of the summit, he told journalists that the topic of the meeting will be the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

"The growth plan should bring reforms and financial instruments in the amount of six billion euros for the countries of Western Balkans. We will also discuss joint activities in the field of trade and economy. We will have a joint press conference afterwards," Kovačevski said.

He also mentioned all the participants in the summit, starting with representatives of the EU and the USA to representatives of the European Bank, CEFTA and other international organizations.

Two protocols signed

Two protocols were signed in Skopje today as part of the Open Balkans initiative, which will enable the establishment of a free labor market for the countries of the Open Balkans, in Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania.

The Protocol on the implementation of the agreement on the conditions for free access to the labor market in the Western Balkans and the Protocol on the connection of the electronic identification scheme for the citizens of the Western Balkans were signed. The agreements were signed on behalf of the Serbian side by the state secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Gojko Stanivuković, and representatives of the relevant ministries on behalf of Albania and North Macedonia. President Aleksandar Vučić stated today before the signing that these protocols will enable a completely free labor market of the countries of the Open Balkans to enter into force on March 1.

Vučić said that they had been waiting for this for months and that this signing is big and important news, since the common labor market will contribute to the creation of a better business environment for both domestic and foreign companies, as well as contribute to overcoming the problem of a lack of manpower and creating a labor market of almost 11 million inhabitants.