Vesović in Thessaloniki: Predictability and a Unified Western Balkans Market Are Key for Investors

Major European companies view the Western Balkans as a single investment and logistics area, while the level of regional integration and the predictability of the business environment are becoming key factors in attracting new investments, said Mihailo Vesović, Deputy President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, during the panel discussion “Creating an Investment-Attractive Western Balkans: Private Sector Confidence, Soft Connectivity and Regional Coordination” held as part of the Transport Investment Summit 2026 in Thessaloniki.

Speaking about the factors influencing foreign companies’ decisions to invest in the region, Vesović emphasized that investors see the Western Balkans as a market of nearly 20 million consumers and a natural economic area located on the doorstep of the European Union.

According to him, in addition to investments in roads, railways, and other infrastructure, so-called “soft connectivity” measures are becoming increasingly important. These include the harmonization of procedures, digital exchange of documents, more efficient border crossings, and the implementation of initiatives such as Green Lanes.

Vesović warned that the region is now facing a new challenge: maintaining the confidence of investors already operating in the Western Balkans. As he pointed out, investors can accept longer transport times as long as they are predictable.

“What poses the greatest challenge for them is unpredictability and sudden obstacles that arise in business operations. For logistics and supply chains, it is essential that the rules remain clear and stable,” Vesović stressed.

As a concrete example, he highlighted the challenges in road transport and the shortage of professional drivers, which directly affects the competitiveness of companies operating within European supply chains.

He assessed that, in order to continue attracting investment, it is equally important for the economies of the Western Balkans to align more closely with one another as well as with the rules and standards of the European Union.

“Predictable regulations, faster regulatory harmonization, more efficient border procedures, and stronger regional coordination are prerequisites for making the Western Balkans an even more attractive destination for European and international capital,” Vesović concluded.

The Transport Investment Summit 2026 brought together in Thessaloniki representatives of the governments of the Western Balkan countries, the European Union, international financial institutions, and the transport and logistics industries, with the aim of accelerating the extension of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) into the Western Balkans region.

Participants discussed key infrastructure projects, the modernization of transport corridors, the removal of administrative barriers, and measures to enhance the region’s investment attractiveness. Special emphasis was placed on the role of the private sector, regional coordination, and the creation of a unified logistics area that would increase the region’s competitiveness and strengthen its integration into European and global supply chains.