Professor at John Hopkins University, Edward Joseph says that Kosovo does not take part in the Open Balkan regional initiative, as it has open issues with Serbia and feels threatened by it.

In an interview for Euronews Albania, Joseph said that Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro find themselves in the same situation.

According to him, Serbia is the most authoritarian country in the Balkan region.

“Why is there skepticism? I say there are good reasons for this skepticism. The first is that the entire Open Balkans is based on a theory that is dubious and the countries that will exchange are few. In the Balkans, you have Serbia, which is undemocratic and you will have problems. Participating Albania, but also North Macedonia do not exactly have open political issues with Serbia. But Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro do.

Countries that have no open issues have no problem having relations at all. But those that have and feel threatened by Serbia, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo, do not want to participate in the Open Balkans, and in my view, they have good reasons not to”, he emphasized.