From the CEFTA agreement to the Open Balkans, in the area where businessmen were the last to break ties and the first to rebuild them, there has been a constant growth in mutual trade, but invisible and visible obstacles persist, among which the most common are those caused by short-term political interests.
The participants of the discussion “Balkan economic horizons through regional integration” pointed out the importance of mutual cooperation, as well as the strategic goal of joining the European Union, but warned that the uncoordinated network of agreements and initiatives confuses businessmen in the region.
The importance of such agreements is unquestionable – Serbia, as it was said at the meeting, realizes 88 percent of its exports thanks to them, and that share is expected to increase to 90 percent with the implementation of the Free Trade Agreement with China. When asked in which area the best result was achieved when it comes to the application of free trade agreements in the countries of the region, Bojan Stanić, director of the Strategic Analysis Sector of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, answers that it is undoubtedly the treatment of goods at border crossings.
“Goods today ‘travel’ much more simply, and Serbia and North Macedonia also have a ‘one stop’ customs crossing, which means that the ‘paperwork’ is done at one and not two checkpoints,” Stanić reminds and emphasizes that trade within the region is continuously growing, to the benefit of all economies.
“All countries are increasing exports within the Western Balkans, while Serbia generates the highest income since it is also the largest economy.” However, viewed from the point of view of other countries, the surplus we achieve with them is slowly decreasing – therefore, they are exporting more and more to Serbia, while imports from our country are growing,” Stanić points out.
What is missing is the acceleration of the economic integration of the region, since, as he assesses, daily political points are made on that topic and short-term political goals are achieved.
“As for the positioning of Serbia, we are without competition in the region, but the question of our position in other markets arises, and if regional supply chains are formed that become part of the chain of a multinational company, then together we can achieve more in larger markets.” concludes Stanić.
He also believes that the area of free movement of labor should be further improved, which is an issue that Gordana Đurović, a professor at the Faculty of Economics from Podgorica, considers particularly sensitive.
Sign up for business updates & specials
