02:49Germany: Leaders arrive for Western Balkans Summit as region prepares to sign visa-free travel deal
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the leaders of selected European and Balkan nations, as they arrived in Berlin on Thursday for the Western Balkans Summit.
The six prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are expected to sign deals agreed last month, including on visa-free travel between their nations.
They are joined by representatives from the EU and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, as well as Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
Scholz could be seen welcoming the arrivals before the leaders gathered and posed for photos.
The summit is a Berlin-led initiative to promote regional co-operation.
In October, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that the creation of a "common regional market" in the Western Balkans was an "important step forward in the EU accession process".
Five of the Balkan countries are EU candidates, while Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recommended by the European Commission for the same status, subject to further reforms.
02:49German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with the leaders of selected European and Balkan nations, as they arrived in Berlin on Thursday for the Western Balkans Summit.
The six prime ministers of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia are expected to sign deals agreed last month, including on visa-free travel between their nations.
They are joined by representatives from the EU and the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, as well as Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, France, Greece, Italy, Poland, Slovenia and the United Kingdom.
Scholz could be seen welcoming the arrivals before the leaders gathered and posed for photos.
The summit is a Berlin-led initiative to promote regional co-operation.
In October, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said that the creation of a "common regional market" in the Western Balkans was an "important step forward in the EU accession process".
Five of the Balkan countries are EU candidates, while Bosnia and Herzegovina has been recommended by the European Commission for the same status, subject to further reforms.