Prime ministers of the Western Balkan countries on Monday pledged at an informal meeting in Albania to speed up efforts to create a joint economic zone ahead of their integration into the European Union. The main topic of the one-day meeting in the western port city of Durres is "regional economic integration," including discussions about developing a joint vision for aligning with the European Union, the implementation of a regional economic zone and other issues. Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was forced to cancel his trip "because of poor weather conditions," according to the government's spokesman. Suma Chakrabarti, president of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, pledged to intensify investment in the region. The bank will hold a summit on the Western Balkans in Sarajevo, Bosnia in May next year.

Source: ABC News August 27, 2018 09:44 UTC