Three western Balkan states agreed to form a joint commission to help each other cope with the threat of energy and food shortages this winter due to ongoing crises cause by the war in Ukraine, Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia said on Friday (September 2), Reuters reports.
The western Balkans comprise Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia, and Kosovo, all of which are aspiring to join the European Union.
All six countries are struggling to meet energy needs because of shortages due to the war in Ukraine.
Kosovo faced multiple power outages since August due to a lack of energy production and price spikes.
At the Open Balkan initiative summit in Belgrade, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the prime ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, Edi Rama, and Dimitar Kovacevski, agreed to form a body that would help the three governments share surplus energy and food.
"We know how difficult the upcoming autumn and winter will be. Even though we are all in a difficult position, we always have the ability to support each other at least a little," Vucic told a news conference.
Serbia almost entirely depends on imports of Russian gas and it generates around 70% of its electricity needs in its aging coal-fired power plants.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said the three countries would ask the EU to help them weather out the winter.
The Open Balkan regional initiative was formalized in 2019 when Serbia, Albania, and North Macedonia agreed to create an economic zone of 12 million people and open borders for people and products.
