Skopje, 13 February 2023 (MIA) - The Parliament at a session on Monday passed the law on ratification of the agreement for free access to the labor market in the Western Balkans, with 62 votes in favor, no votes against and no abstentions. 

MPs also backed the law on ratification of the agreement for interconnection of electronic identification schemes for citizens in the Western Balkans, with 62 votes in favor, no votes against and no abstentions.  

Agreements signed within the Open Balkan initiative enable lifting of work permits and a free labor market for citizens of North Macedonia, Serbia and Albania. 

The agreement for free access to the labor market will enable citizens to work in any of the three countries without obtaining work permits, no applications, no wait-times and no administrative costs. In addition, the agreement for interconnection of electronic identification schemes provides for access to the electronic services of the national portals of the three countries through creating an Open Balkan electronic identification for a possibility to access the labor market in those countries.

The agreements were signed on December 21, 2021, in Tirana by Open Balkan leaders, including Prime Minister Zoran Zaev at the time, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, and Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.