Open Balkan will provide Macedonia with workforce for areas which are experiencing labor shortages, and the free labor market will bring bigger wages and investments in each of the three countries, said the Government, ahead of the opening of the single labor market as part of the Open Balkan initiative.

The Government indicates that the “Open Balkans” initiative is an opportunity to increase the competitiveness of our region, and that the increased offer is attractive for new investments, which is the key goal of the Agreement on free access to the labor market. Mobility is an important aspect for the development of the economy, and from that aspect, as it points out, we should be aware that there are areas, such as tourism, in which labor will flow into Macedonia from neighboring Albania and Serbia, and of course we will have and examples in the reverse direction as well.

This project brings competition in quality, but it also brings salary growth, new opportunities and exchange of experiences. Complementary to this measure is the initiative to establish a joint agency of the three countries of the Open Balkans to attract foreign investments, which makes us, as a market of 12 million citizens, much more attractive for large investors. For this type of investment, which requires a larger market, the basic prerequisite is the regional mobility of the workforce, said the Government.