Hill: The US supports the Open Balkan initiative, but it cannot be substitute for the EU

Photo: Marko Jovanovic

US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said today that the United States supports the Open Balkan initiative, because it creates models of cooperation between the countries of the Western Balkan, and that was the reason for his presence at the summit in Ohrid.

Recommended

"The United States supports all efforts towards regional integration, and this is an effort that came from the region itself and went further than all the previous ones," Hill said after visiting the ICT Hub in Belgrade, when asked by Tanjug about his presence at the summit The Open Balkan in Ohrid and the way he comments on some media reports that say this initiative is a substitute for EU membership.

Hill pointed out that the Western Balkan initiative cannot be an alternative to EU membership.

The US asmbassador added that Open Balkan is primarily focused on economic activities, but also on connecting parts of the region and establishing models for future cooperation.

"Look at how many borders and border crossings there are only in this part of the Balkan, and when you enter the EU, there are none. It is necessary for them to be bridging and to unite these countries, and not to be a problem, so that is a really good idea." said Hill.

He stressed that Open Balkan should by no means be a substitute for the membership of these countries in the EU.

"Personally, I would not be interested in the Open Balkan initiative at all if it was only an alternative to EU membership.

After all, the future of Serbia is within the EU, and that is clear as day. But the ability of the Balkan countries to cooperate and find models of cooperation is something that will speed them up on their path to one day becoming part of Europe," Hill said.

He added that it was not up to him, as an American, to tell the EU when and when that should happen, but to encourage all candidate countries to direct their movement towards the EU.

"But, even that encouragement that comes from US diplomacy is something that the Serbian people should decide on. However, based on what I saw in this center and in other places in Serbia, I think that this decision has already been made and that the Serbian people have already decided that they should follow that path," Hill assessed.

(Telegraf.rs)