Starović: Work on the implementation of the "Open Balkans" initiative is intensifying

On the occasion of holding a meeting in Belgrade on the occasion of that initiative, Starović, as a guest on Radio-Television of Serbia, said that the plans were very ambitious and that the guiding idea was to completely remove border crossings between Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania by early 2023.

"Borders are not abolished, as someone says, but the idea is to abolish border crossings, to enable the completely free flow of people, goods and capital and services, to form a single labor market, to form joint programs for attracting foreign investments, because in that way we can really contribute to the increase of wealth in our region", Starović emphasized and added that everyone involved in this initiative will benefit, and that it is open for joining to other partners from the Western Balkans region.

According to him, if the border crossings were good for the economy, the European Union would have them as well.

Starović emphasized that it was good that the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Zdravko Krivokapić, attended the working dinner with the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the representatives of Albania and Northern Macedonia last night, bearing in mind that one of the basic qualities of the Open Balkans initiative is that it is open to everyone in the Western Balkans.

Starović said that Krivokapić expressed his interest and openness to discuss the initiative and expressed expectation that Montenegro would soon be a participant in the "Open Balkans" initiative.

On the occasion of Krivokapić's official visit to Belgrade, Starović stated that it was extremely good and successful and that it had the potential to represent a kind of turning point in the relations between Serbia and Montenegro, which we really needed.

Starović said that the most important thing was that all Krivokapić’s meetings with Serbian officials took place in a good and cordial atmosphere.

As he emphasized, the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Prime Minister, Ana Brnabić, expressed an enviable level of respect for Krivokapić, and the agenda was formed in such a way as to be positive, to thematize certain issues on which there are no disagreements or they are minimal.

"It is a kind of strategy of gradual measured steps so that in the next few months we can really overcome all the problems, major political problems that have been accumulating for years. I think that strategy is good. There are no reasons why the relations between official Podgorica and official Belgrade would not be far better than they are today", Starović said, mentioning the common history and closeness of the two countries and two peoples.

Starović sees the announced joint session of the governments of Serbia and Montenegro at the end of December this year or the beginning of January 2022 as a good opportunity to gather all ministers and open those topics where there is room for improving cooperation, from the economy onwards.

"It is a good next step that is planned when we talk about the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Podgorica, which have been disrupted in previous years without substantial reasons. I am sure that this session will be held, and that it will give good results", said Starović.

When asked about the situation in B&H and the discussion in the UN Security Council, Starović said that the UNSC Resolution extended the mandate of the EUFOR mission, which has only a few hundred soldiers.

"The decision was unanimous at the UNSC session, but the measure of compromise found between the UNSC member states was that the resolution does not mention High Representative Christian Schmidt and that therefore the question of his full legitimacy remains open", said Starović.

Starović said that the claims of some in the western part of the international community that the essence of all the problems lies in the personality of the Serbian member of the Presidency of B&H, Milorad Dodik, are not true.

According to him, if someone thinks that the political crisis that exists could be solved by some kind of sanctions, we also consider it the wrong solution, because the Republic of Serbia will never support any kind of sanctions, i.e., it will not participate in them.

"It is a clear message to our public and especially the public in the Republic of Srpska, that there will be no new blockades on the Drina, as we unfortunately had in 1994, which does not mean that we do not appeal to everyone to commit to dialogue as the only way to overcome the existing crisis", said Starović.

On a broader level, Starović assessed, a dialogue is needed between the Serb and Bosniak factors as a whole, and that is something that Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić insists on, who sent an official invitation to Bakir Izetbegović, as a legitimate political representative of the Bosniak people, to visit Belgrade.

"Unfortunately, we saw what the reactions were like. Very sharp, very negative in political Sarajevo, and because of that, Izetbegović, who initially accepted the invitation, eventually gave it up, but that invitation is still open. I am sure that President Vučić will insist on that and that the meeting will take place, if not in Belgrade, then somewhere else, and that it will also be just one in a series of steps to establish that dialogue between Serbs and Bosniaks. It is very important for the stability of the entire Balkans", Starović said.