Despite the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the Western Balkans, the
European Commission is not changing its recommendation on the opening of the
borders with the region, adding that the final decision will be made by the EU
member-states in the coming days, MIA reports from Brussels.
Last week, the Commission recommended to the Union to open its borders with the
Western Balkans on July 1, unlike other non-EU countries for which travel
restrictions should be progressively lifted.
EC Spokesperson Adalbert Jahnz told Tuesday’s press conference that the
recommendation for the region is still in place.
“The recommendation to lift restrictions to the Western Balkans was not related only
to the epidemiological considerations but also the close level of integration that the
region has with the EU and our relations with the region. With regards to the
epidemiological situation, we follow it very closely, and the decision that member-
states are meant to take by the July 1 will also have to take into account all of the
recent data,” said Jahnz.
