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Mutual recognition of professional qualifications is also envisaged, as well as encouraging student exchanges
and launching joint research and development projects.
All agreed steps will be included in the action plan, which should produce concrete results by the next meeting on December 21 in the Albanian city of Durres.
Zaev, Vucic and Rama said that this initiative does not mean the creation of a new Yugoslavia nor a Greater Albania, but a better life for the citizens of the three countries with the final aim being EU membership.
The Ohrid forum was attended on November 10 by Montenegrin and Bosnian officials to discuss regional issues. Kosovo's president did not attend.
During the meeting, Zaev, Rama and Vucic invited Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro to join the initiative for setting up a free market.
Montenegrin Economy Minister Dragica Sekulic and the chairman of Bosnia’s Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdic
said there is no consensus on the issue yet, but would consider joining the initiative.
Kosovan President Hashim Thaci cited several reasons for his absence. "First, Kosovo was deliberately overlooked by Serbia at the first summit of this new regional initiative," Thaci said
in a Facebook post. The first meeting was held in Novi Sad, Serbia, on October 10.
He added that other reason is that Kosovo does not want to replace its Euro-Atlantic perspective with any regional initiative.
"And third, this regional initiative is meaningless as long as Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina do not recognise Kosovo's independence," Thaci said.
If all six Western Balkan countries agree to join the initiative, the Western Balkans common market will cover
an area of about 20mn people.
Moldovan PM Sandu loses confidence vote
Iulian Ernst in Bucharest
The Moldovan parliament passed the no-confidence motion filed by the Socialist Party (PSRM) against the cabinet of Prime Minister Maia Sandu on November 12.
The motion was filed by pro-Russian President Igor Dodon’s Socialists just five months after Russia and the European Union brokered the unstable ruling coalition in Chisinau between the Socialists and Sandu’s pro-EU ACUM bloc with the main purpose of ousting the increasingly autocratic Vlad Plahotniuc.
In total, 63 of Moldova’s 101 MPs voted against Sandu. They included the Democratic Party (PDM), which lost power in June and was headed by Plahotniuc until he fled the country after the new government was formed. The Democrats are now striving to improve their credibility.
Western partners express concerns
The no-confidence vote was sparked by a dispute over the procedure to appoint Moldova’s prosecutor general, as Sandu’s attempt to change the rules gave an opportunity to the Socialists to seek her removal.
By dismissing Sandu, Dodon gains even more power and the country’s foreign development partners, including the European Union and Romania, have expressed concerns. Their support programmes are conditioned on the continuation of reforms and the rule of law, the European Commission and Romania’s presidency warned.
“The vote of no-confidence in the government in the Republic of Moldova
over questions concerning the recruitment process of the prosecutor general sends worrying signals for the reform process in the country,” a press release from the EU External Action’s spokesperson reads.
The EU says that it is committed to “working with those in the Republic of Moldova who support the reform process that is at the core of the Association Agreement, in particular as regards fighting corruption and vested interests irrespective of the political affiliations, ensuring the independence of the judiciary and de-politicising the state institutions”. The EU will continue
to base its relationship with the Republic of Moldova on the principle of conditionality and respect for the rule of law and democratic standards, the statement reads.
On a less neutral note, a statement from Romania’s presidency praised the reforms pursued by Sandu’s government and said that the Socialists’ move to dismiss Sandu goes against the interests of Moldova and the Moldovan people.
“Under the present circumstances, Romania's support, including its financial support, will continue to focus on the interests of the citizens of the Republic of Moldova, the implementation of strategic bilateral projects and will be strictly conditioned by the continuation of the essential reforms for the democratic development of the Republic of Moldova and its progress toward European values,” Romania’s presidency stated.
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