Ambassador Zingraf Reveals Balkan, EU Leaders to Meet in Berlin in July

The German Ambassador to Tirana, Peter Zingraf has called on the Albanian authorities to use the Berlin process to speed up projects with a regional dimension that could also be financed by the EU investment plan for the Western Balkans.
“I urge the Albanian government to use the Berlin process to accelerate projects with a regional dimension that can be financed by the EU investment plan for the Western Balkans. Reforms must continue to improve the business climate, especially through the continuation of the Justice Reform for the fight against corruption, organized crime and to hold clean and transparent elections,” said Zingraf.
According to the Ambassador, the cooperation between the ambassadors of European countries in Tirana and the American embassy has not been influenced by the attitudes of the former administration of Donald Trump.
In the meantime he said Balkan states must make the creation of a common regional market a reality.
“I ask all six Balkan countries to turn the common regional market into a reality. This can be concretized by steps such as simplifying the procedures for the movement of citizens between these countries, ie crossing the borders with ID cards or green corridors to speed up customs procedures,” said Zingraf.
For Germany, the Berlin initiative is a guide on the road to European integration, and more tangible projects are expected from the July meeting in Berlin between the Balkan and EU leaders.
Last year’s Summit of the Berlin Process was jointly organized by Bulgaria and North Macedonia which was considered a new experience since its launch.
The Berlin Process is an initiative aimed at stepping up regional cooperation in the Western Balkans and aiding the integration of these countries into the European Union. It was launched on August 28, 2014, by the German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
/argumentum.al