Kurti refuses invitation to Open Balkan summit

NEWS 03.06.202211:55
Albin Kurti
REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is reported to have refused an invitation to attend the Open Balkan initiative summit in North Macedonia next week.

According to Radio Free Europe, Kurti was invited to the summit by North Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski but wrote back to say he would not come to Ohrid on June 7-8. Kurti said in his letter that Pristina is committed to the Berlin Process, an initiative by Germany and other European Union member states to promote regional cooperation in the region. The Open Balkan initiative was launched by Serbian President Alekandar Vucic, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama and then North Macedonia Prime Minister Zoran Zaev to create a common economic region.

The Kosovo Prime Minister said that the Open Balkan initiative is a harmful regional initiative with no vision. Kosovo does not want to join in because Serbia is not treating it as an equal side and independent country.

Kurti said that Kosovo and North Macedonia should cooperate to prevent Serbia from promoting Russia and Chinese interests in the region. He also warned that Serbia was constantly denying Kosovo’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity and blocking equal opportunities for its population. He said that the countries of the region should remain committed to the European Union and trans-Atlantic relations