Ohrid, 8 June 2022 (MIA) – Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Wednesday the Open Balkan initiative is coming from the people of the area, expressing belief that more citizens of North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania but also other countries in the region would support it. “This is something unstoppable, a good idea and we will have more supporters as years go by. I always want to bring essence in our relations and therefore think it is important to set up working groups before the next meeting in Belgrade. These working groups will focus on overcoming difficulties related to food supplies and energy, how to help each through the winter, because this is in the interest of the citizens of the entire region. Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Pristina are more than welcome to take part in the working groups,” said President Vucic in his address at the Open Balkan Summit in Ohrid. He said it is important to speed up all joint projects. “Today we are signing an agreement on diploma recognition that will speed up all processes related to work permits. Let’s see what other things people want us to do, let’s listen to the business chambers, let’s facilitate trade of commodities, capital, people and services, let’s see what we can do for tourism and attraction of Serbian people in Albania and North Macedonia and vice versa,” said Vucic. He said Open Balkan benefited the progress of the entire region. “It depends solely on us. Our relations with neighbors depend on us,” added Vucic. The Serbian President thanked the United States for supporting the initiative and also addressed the attending Montenegro Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and Bosnia and Herzegovina Presidency Chairman Zoran Tegetlija. “Dritan, Zoran you are always welcome and I don’t have it in myself to plead to you every day. If you want to come, please do, if don’t then no one will force you to,” stressed Vucic and expressed hope that an Open Balkan summit could be hosted in one of these countries by the end of 2022.