Work has begun on the Open Balkan Summit taking place in Ohrid, Northern Macedonia.

The Special Envoy of the United States of America for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, present through a video message at today’s Western Balkans summit, requested that all 6 countries be part of the initiative.

Escobar said the US-backed initiative should involve everyone and that he hoped it would remain open.

Esobar also said that America wants this initiative to remain only economic.

“I will greet you from Sarajevo. I thank the government of Macedonia. We will do everything to stabilize the region and we will do everything for the Western Balkans. The US does not look at the Balkans from a point of view of problems that occurred in the 20th century but 21. The Balkans have amazing resources, people have built Europe and my country. We support the Western Balkans. It gives us many great opportunities. The Western Balkans has the potential to be an energy hub. It has the capacity to be the center of natural gas, to rid Europe of Russian gas. The Western Balkans is the fastest growing part of Europe. We will face problems but we will succeed. The United States supports the Open Balkan initiative. ” said Escobar.

“If it succeeds, it must be open to everyone. Each initiative for economic integration should unite all 6 countries. It is an amazing initiative. “I hope it will be clearer how it will work further,” said Escobar.

Meanwhile, focusing on some messages, Escobar said that there should be cooperation from all parties.

The leaders of the participating countries met with each other before the meeting, where the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement and Good Neighborhood, Oliver Varhelyi, was also present.