LOCAL PRESS
Commitment of Serbian government to reform process (Tanjug/Beta)
Serbian Prime Minister Serbia Ana Brnabic spoke with the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia Ambassador Andrea Orizio on projects implemented by the government of Serbia, in cooperation with the OSCE, and with the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). Brnabic stressed that the government of Serbia is committed to implementing the recommendations of the ODIHR, an OSCE advisory institution, with which relevant institutions cooperate through a three-year program that began in 2017. Earlier, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Nebojsa Stefanovic and Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Branko Ruzic held a meeting with ODIHR representatives and Orizio. During the meeting, the Prime Minister announced that the government will form a Working Group to work with the ODIHR on further reform of the electoral process, stating that a number of recommendations, such as upgrading the Unified Voters Register and the work of the Election Commission, had already been implemented through significant improvements. since 2017 when the government started cooperation with the ODIHR. The Head of the OSCE Mission praised the government of Serbia’s commitment to the reform process, emphasizing that the ODIHR will certainly make a significant contribution to this and added that the OSCE Mission is ready to assist in a technical sense. At the meeting, Brnabic and Orizio also discussed adopting a Media Strategy, a process in which the OSCE Mission provided expert assistance, with the interlocutors agreeing that it is important to preserve its transparent and inclusive character by the end of this process.
Djuric: Pristina only looking how to maltreat citizens (Tanjug)
Pristina is only looking how to maltreat citizens without any reason, it is behaving in anti-European and anti-civilization way, said the Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric on the occasion of the decision by the Directorate of the border unit of the Kosovo police on non-recognizing Serbia passports when entering the territory of Kosovo and Metohija.
“They are constantly looking for new ways to hinder freedom of ordinary people of all nationalities, especially Serbs, towards whom they are not hiding their intolerance. It is not necessary to have a Serbia passport for Kosovo and Metohija, it wasn’t and it will not be necessary. Perhaps only at Serbian border crossings when departing Serbia from the territory of the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija towards Albania and North Macedonia,” Djuric told Tanjug.
Drecun: Serbian citizens need only ID card for Kosovo and Metohija (Tanjug)
Serbian citizens do not even need to travel to the southern Serbian province with a passport, but with an ID card, said the Chairperson of the Serbian parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija Milovan Drecun. “That is not a state in order for us to travel there with a passport. ID s are needed, and what are Pristina’s motives, they just want to cause an incident,” Drecun told Tanjug. He stressed that it should not even occur to anyone to travel to Kosovo and Metohija with a passport since Kosovo and Metohija is an integral part of Serbia.
Botsan-Harchenko: They are interfering in your affairs, but are not mentioning court for KLA (Novosti)
The statements of the newly appointed US Ambassador Anthony Godfrey on Moscow’s policy on the EU path are, unfortunately, within the usual Washington rhetoric, in striving for global domination, it saves no power in a clumsy “ideological struggle” and open propagandistic behavior, no longer worrying about any arguments in support of their fabrications, Russian Ambassador to Serbia Aleksandr Botsan-Harchenko told Novosti in comment to the recent speech by Godfrey before the US Senate, where he stated that “after his diplomatic service in Moscow, he is fully aware of the aggressive behavior of Russia, the malignant influence and campaign of misinformation it is conducting in Europe” and that the US is investing great effort to oppose this. “Let us underline that our vision of the situation in Europe, including the situation in the Balkans, is based on the principle of a single security, economic, cultural region without any divisions. We are certain that constructive, mutually useful cooperation on all planes contribute to regional stability, suits the interests of both out countries, as well as the entire European continent. We hope that this will also become obvious for Washington one day.” However, Washington has been frequently accusing Russia of spreading its “malignant influence”, and is especially criticizing Kremlin’s policy towards Serbia and the entire region. The Russian Ambassador notes that it is surprising that the main tasks of the US in Serbia are also those that concern exclusively the affairs of our country: “That represents direct interference in your affairs. Nevertheless, such a priority task, such as the activation of the work of the Special Court for KLA crimes, is not being mentioned at all.”
REGIONAL PRESS
Parties of ruling coalition in RS unanimously endorse agreement on formation of B&H CoM (ATV)
Delegations of parties of the ruling coalition at the RS level held a meeting in Banja Luka on Tuesday. On this occasion, the delegations of SNSD, DNS, SP RS, DEMOS, United Srpska, and NDP unanimously endorsed the agreement signed on Monday by leaders of SNSD, HDZ B&H and SDA – Milorad Dodik, Dragan Covic, and Bakir Izetbegovic respectively – on formation of authorities at the B&H level. The parties of the RS-level ruling coalition concluded that the agreement on formation of the future B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) is entirely in line with the RS parliament Resolution on Military Neutrality and other RS parliament acts. According to the ruling coalition, signing of this agreement means that the RS will be making no concessions, as well as that no new conditions will be set to the RS. On this occasion, Dodik expressed belief that the B&H CoM will be formed soon and assessed that the delays were unnecessary. Dodik pointed out that all key conditions to form the B&H CoM have been created. Dodik reiterated that there is nothing disputable when it comes to continuing cooperation with the NATO, but that membership in the NATO is out of the question. “We believe that formation of the authorities will be completed within the set deadline. As a coalition, after the B&H Presidency’s appointment of the CoM Chairman-designate, we will meet again and once again discuss our participation in structures of authorities at the level of B&H – in line with our positions”, the SNSD leader specified. RS President and SNSD Vice-President Zeljka Cvijanovic presented an opinion that long delays in formation of the authorities at the B&H level were unjustified, asserting that the will of the citizens must be respected. Cvijanovic said: “We will form the new authorities at the level of B&H. That is important for completion of many processes and many activities, which have started, especially in order to prevent obstruction or blockade of some things that are important for the RS and our citizens.” President of the SNSD Commission for Doboj Obren Petrovic deems that there is nothing disputable about the signed agreement, and hopes that the B&H CoM will be formed very soon, as well as that the B&H parliament will start functioning at its full capacity. DNS leader Marko Pavic welcomed all provisions of the signed agreement. When it comes to the NATO integration path, Pavic stressed that the stances on this matter should be coordinated with Serbia. SP RS Vice-President Zivko Marjanac expressed particular content with the fact that the agreement does not include the need to adopt the Annual National Program (ANP) for NATO. United Srpska leader Nenad Stevandic expressed certainty that the signed agreement represents reflection of the citizens’ will. Stevandic assessed that the agreement is good and contribution to progress, peace, and protection of the RS. DEMOS Deputy President Spomenka Stevanovic noted that the RS does not lose anything with the signed agreement, although the authorities at the B&H level should have been formed much earlier. “We think it is absolutely important that the future authorities at the B&H level are formed by the parties that won the last elections,” Stevanovic added. NDP leader Dragan Cavic supports the agreement on the CoM formation, because he considers it to be entirely in line with the RS parliament Resolution on Military Neutrality.
Sarovic accuses Dodik of enabling B&H’s accession to NATO (BNTV)
Leader of SDS Mirko Sarovic addressed a press conference in Sarajevo on Tuesday and commented on an agreement that SDA, HDZ B&H and SNSD signed on Monday on formation of authorities. Sarovic said that not even leaders of SDA, HDZ B&H and SNSD understand what they signed. Sarovic stated: “I want to clearly say that we view this document as capitulation of the policy of (leader of SNSD) Milorad Dodik and SNSD from the past few months and during the past few years. In our opinion, this clearly paves the way of the RS towards the NATO and practically, this is a defeat of the policy that advocates military neutrality and the policy of staying away from any military alliance. I would also call this departing from the policy that SNSD advocated; that the issue of the NATO will be discussed once neighboring Serbia expresses its clear stance on this issue”. Sarovic stressed that as a leader of SDS, he finds that Dodik practically broke his previous words and strong standpoints that he advocated by signing of this agreement. Sarovic stated: “In our opinion, he would pay way too high price to enter the B&H CoM, in the case of implementation of this agreement (…). In my opinion, all masks were somehow removed now, especially after recognition of one the parties that signed this agreement. Now, it is completely clear who can be called a traitor and who sticks to its standpoints and who does not (…) I am telling this because the leader of SNSD himself stated on many occasions that those who lead the country towards the NATO are traitors”. Speaking about the fact that the agreement defines a slightly-slower path of B&H towards the NATO in the period of three years, Sarovic stated that this is true. However, Sarovic added that this matches with the rest of the mandate of the new authorities that the three parties are supposed to form. He underlined: “This means that when it comes to the NATO integration of B&H, this would end during the mandate of the new convocation of the CoM if the implementation happens within the next 30, 60 days as they announced. I would say that this is part of the package and probably this is the reason for the rush in terms of the 30-day-long deadline”. Sarovic also argued that implementation of this agreement will bring tectonic political changes and changing of a way of thinking in the RS, adding that they cannot assess whether the implementation will happen or not, but consequences will primarily be felt within the RS. Sarovic said: “I must emphasize that now, the resolution of the RS parliament (on the military neutrality) (…) which also stipulates sanctions towards those who do not stick to its provisions, is called into question. This is the resolution regarding the NATO and it is totally clear that this agreement is contrary to this resolution. Now, the question is whether some things will be changed and whether the resolution will be abolished. Anyhow, there will be a serious discussion on this issue (…)”. In this regard, Sarovic announced that they will launch a discussion on this issue in the RS parliament, if those who are supposed to do this fail to fulfill this task.
OHR welcomes signing of agreement on principles for formation of authorities in B&H (Al Jazeera)
The Office of the High Representative (OHR) issued a written statement for Al Jazeera Balkans welcoming signing of the agreement on principles for formation of the authorities in B&H and expressing hope that the B&H CoM, as well as authorities at other levels in B&H will be formed soon. In the written statement, OHR Spokesperson Mario Brkic specified that, when it comes to the part of the agreement on a possible closure of the OHR in B&H, the OHR welcomes the fact that political leaders have agreed to actively work on creation of conditions for transition of the OHR. “At that respect, it is necessary to mention that it is up to the Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the UN Security Council (UN SC), and the High Representative (HR) to estimate whether the conditions for shutting down of the OHR have been met. However, that shutdown is explicitly conditioned by a positive assessment of the political situation in B&H based on full respect of the Dayton agreement. That condition is explicit and there is no manner in which it can be bypassed. Therefore, the biggest contribution that B&H political leaders can make to a decision on abolition of the OHR is to stop with destructive policies that deepen divisions,” the statement reads.
Hahn welcomes agreement on formation of B&H authorities (BHT1)
European Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn welcomed on Twitter the agreement of political party leaders in B&H to form a new B&H CoM. Hahn welcomed signing of the agreement as an important step forward for the state and the citizens, referring to it as a crucial step for progress in the process of the EU integration of B&H.
Tegeltija says he is ready for post of B&H CoM Chairman and he expects his appointment to be confirmed by B&H Presidency (Dnevni avaz)
Zoran Tegeltija has officially been appointed for the Chairman-designate of the Council of Ministers of B&H following an agreement on authority formation signed by leaders of SDA, SNSD and HDZ B&H. In a statement for the daily, Tegeltija said that he does not want to comment the nomination until he is officially elected. “If I am given an opportunity by the Presidency of B&H, I will have something to say. The agreement reached day before yesterday is a political one, and later we will turn it into an institutional agreement,” said Tegeltija and added that he does not know when his mandate could be confirmed, but he expects the Presidency of B&H to discuss his appointment at the next session. Asked if he is ready for the job of B&H CoM Chairman, Tegeltija briefly said: “I will be ready!”
President returns Criminal Code amendments for review (ADN)
Albanian President Ilir Meta returned on Tuesday amendments of Criminal Code for review to the parliament. Following amendments made to Criminal Code of Albania, President of the Republic requested these alterations’ review and improvement on arguments of endangering citizens’ judicial safety. Meanwhile, according to President’s decree, current provisions of the Criminal Code do not guarantee the proper prevention or punishment of certain negative acts or omissions that have occurred in society, are not in harmony or with other provisions, which may lead to erroneous application in practice or misinterpretation resulting in violation of constitutional principles and legal certainty and require their amendment very quickly or require their clarification by jurisprudence.
Below the arguments of the Head of State:
President Meta decrees the return to parliament for consideration of the law “On some additions and amendments to the Criminal Code”. The main reasons for returning this law are as following: The President praised the compliance of Law no. 44 /2019, in relation to the Constitution, the legal framework in force, and at the conclusion of the review, considers that this law introduced for promulgation in general is a positive legal act, since for some issues the current provisions of the criminal code do not guarantee the proper prevention or punishment of certain negative acts or omissions which have occurred in society, which require their prediction as criminal offenses, or for others it is considered necessary to strengthen the criminal penalty. On the other hand, during the review it was found that some specific provisions of Law no. 44/2019 and specifically Articles 3, 6, 7 and 11, which have amended, or added Articles 121, 201, 201 / b, and 207 / a of the Criminal Code, provide ambiguity in the wording of some of their paragraphs; are not in harmony or in any case overlap with other provisions of the Criminal Code, causes, which may lead to the wrong application in practice or misinterpretation resulting in violation of constitutional principles and legal certainty. The review finds that the wording of certain provisions of the Criminal Code amended by Articles 3, 6, 7 and 11 of Law no. 44/2019, contain issues that violate the principle of applying normative effectiveness, jeopardizing their application and interpretation due to lack of clarity, which would require their amendment very soon, or would require their clarification by jurisprudence. Given that the Supreme Court, which is in charge of unifying or even interpreting the use of legal norms, has been out of operation for several months and no one can predict today when this panel will be filled with the necessary number of Judges who can unify the judicial practice in the criminal process, it is estimated that it will not be possible to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the changes and effects that the proposed changes may have on the effectiveness of the criminal justice system. Thus, in these conditions where the country is, without a High Court and a functioning Constitutional Court, it is up to the Albanian parliament to exercise the utmost care in drafting and adopting new provisions in the Criminal Code, which create new figures of criminal offenses, as criminalizing behavior or actions in crime figures, whilst still not functioning, the judicial body that can unify the judicial practice in this regard may result in different application of the norm in practice, creating a risk of violating the principle of legal security of citizens or punishment without law. Specifically, problems and shortcomings in some of its provisions have been noted, as following:
- Article 3 of Law 44/2019, which aims to amend Article 121 of the Criminal Code which provides for the offense of unfair interference with private life, creates overlap with other provisions of the Criminal Code and is inconsistent with the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. From the examination of the accompanying practice of the draft law, the accompanying report or the report of the responsible committees, no reason is established based on concrete evidence that has dictated the need to amend this provision of the Code. The fourth paragraph of Article 121 of the Criminal Code, as amended by Law No. 44/2019, requires improvement as there is much uncertainty regarding the subject of the criminal offense. This paragraph should also be reworded and clarified, even in the light of the fact that a stronger distinction should be made with the subject of the offense as provided for in this newly adopted Article, with that of the succeeding Article (Article 122), which implies a other categories of state or public officials who have this data due to their duties (intelligence officers, police, police, prosecutors, etc.). Also, another reason why the fourth paragraph added is unclear is the fact that it does not clearly state whether or not those actions provided for by the same provision in the first paragraph are punished in this case, which provides: serving for listening or recording, listening to or recording words, fixing or recording images as well as storing data for publication “, or just” distributing publication or publishing “. If the last paragraph refers to the commission of the offense in the manner set out in the first paragraph of the amended Article, then under the fourth paragraph of the same Article we are before the classical case where misunderstandings can be created for the application of this provision to nationals who have the task of placing the apparatus and recording the words, fixing them, under the special authorization obtained in accordance with the legislation in force for this purpose. In these cases, the intention to commit the criminal offense of sanction in the last paragraph should have been clearly identified, which has not been done and leaves room for abuse of this provision. Furthermore, the provisions of Article 3 of Law no. 44/2019, should also be analyzed in relation to Article 59 of the Criminal Procedure Code, because Article 121 of the Criminal Code, as it is currently unchanged, falls into the group of those criminal offenses which is prosecuted by the accusing victim by committing the crime directly in court. With the addition of paragraphs in Article 121 of the Criminal Code it is foreseen to increase the social risk. It is therefore necessary to amend Article 59 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to specify whether and for which of these paragraphs prosecution will be exercised by the accusing victim himself or by the prosecutor.
- Article 6 of Law no. 44/2019, which amends Article 201 of the Criminal Code, in paragraphs 2-5 contains abstract expressions, the use of which not only makes it impossible to apply these paragraphs in practice, but creates a risk of setting a precedent in the prosecution criminal or disproportionate punishment. The improvement of Article 201 of the Criminal Code is very much welcomed by all, but in this new provision reformulated in its 4 paragraphs (paragraphs 2-5), it is problematic in terms of how it is linguistically constructed, which shows that the qualifying circumstance of the commission of the offense, which results in an increase in the sentence, appears to have been determined inappropriately for the purpose for which those provisions were drawn up. In the last four paragraphs of this article, the phrase “or is likely to cause” is used. Understanding the circumstances described in a crime figure in itself is the determination of actions or conditions, the establishment of which requires a more severe measure of punishment. Leaving abstract spaces in place and incorrect wording on legislative technique is an open possibility for misinterpretation and abuse in practice. The use of the wording “likely to cause” not only makes it impossible to enforce but also risks putting in practice a dangerous precedent in the prosecution or disproportionate punishment. Legal predictions with abstract expression on the “consequence that could come” in a criminal provision is a large space for misrepresentation and abuse in practice.
- Article 7 of Law 44/2019, which provides for the addition of a new figure of the criminal offense of waste transport, is unclear in the way it was adopted and makes the application of this provision difficult in practice. In addition, this review of the law concludes that none of these offenses has been designated as a qualifying circumstance for their co-operation or its repetition.
- Article 11 of Law 44/2019, which provides for the addition of added Article 207 / a and sanctioning the abandonment of the companion animal as a criminal offense, does not result in the definition of the subject of the criminal offense and its wording presents uncertainties that make it difficult to apply in practice. This provision, among other things, has ambiguity and is poorly worded in terms of legislative technique, since it does not specify the subject of the criminal offense. This new criminal provision does not regulate the situation where the consequence on the health of a person, serious injury by the animal may occur at the animal owner’s residence. So according to the adopted provision if it happens in this environment, we seem to have no abandonment and normally no criminal responsibility. The President of the Republic has considered that some of the above provisions may not be fully effective as a source to combat socially undesirable behavior that may arise under the proposed offenses to be changed because in the way a some of these provisions have been adopted it is inevitable that they will encounter obstacles in practice, precisely because of their ambiguity and ambiguity. Thus, if we have in practice unclear or un-oriented provisions there is a risk that they will be applied incorrectly, in breach of the principle of legal certainty, where instead of addressing the problematic and punitive act correctly, there will be more uncertainty in dealing with of phenomena throughout the practical application of these criminal norms. In accordance with the Constitution and in exercising the right provided for in Article 85 (1), the President has decided to return for reconsideration of Law no. 44/2019 “On some additions and amendments to Law no. 7895, dated 27.1.1995, ‘Criminal Code of the Republic of Albania’, as amended, with the intention of amending the Articles 3, 6, 7 and 11, which have amended or supplemented Articles 121, 201, 201 / b, and 207 / a of the Criminal Code. The decree and the detailed reasons for this decision are published on the official website of the Institution of the President of the Republic.
Venice fact-finding delegation to visit Tirana on Meta’s discharge (Radio Tirana/RTV Ora)
The Venice Commission will bring to Tirana a fact-finding delegation to scan the situation and then prepare the opinion for the Albanian parliament regarding the discharge of President Ilir Meta. It seems that this SP initiative will go a long way as long as the Constitutional Court is non-existent. According to RTV Ora the Venice Commission affirms the visit to the capital to prepare an opinion on the Parliament’s request. During the meetings with the parties involved in this process, the delegation will seek further clarification to form a full opinion on the 8 questions submitted by the Albanian parliament. The majority demands the discharge of President Ilir Meta, who has violated the constitution and has infringed the sovereignty of the people and the assembly through a decree annulling the 30 June elections.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Europe’s new agenda in the Western Balkans (European Council on Foreign Relations, by Vessela Tcherneva, 7 August 2019)
The main message for the Western Balkans is clear: countries in the region need to demonstrate a sufficient level of political governance before any technical process of EU accession can begin.
A quiet but fundamental shift is under way in the European Union’s policy on the Western Balkans. With the term of the current European Commission nearing its end, it seems that any plans for enlarging the union are following suit. Enlargement is becoming the policy that shall not be named – at least, in town hall meetings and parliaments in western Europe. It is no secret that most of the European public is against enlargement – as an upcoming ECFR survey demonstrates. (Strikingly, Austrians and Germans, who host the largest Balkan diasporas as a share of population, are among those who are most sceptical about enlargement.) But, as Eurobarometer confirms, this trend is not new. What has changed is policymakers’ clear commitment not to deviate from public expectations on peripheral issues such as this one. “Because of the fear for [sic] foreign immigration”, one German MP explained recently, “people in my constituency would notice – and scrutinise – a decision to open accession negotiations with North Macedonia. Even though it is just a small step, far away from accession, it will be perceived critically by the public at this moment.” Of course, the reasons for this defensive posture go beyond the migration crisis. They have to do with Romania’s and Bulgaria’s difficult transformations into member states, with the rule of law deficits in Poland and Hungary, and with the lack of leverage that other member states and EU institutions have over these countries. Most importantly, Europeans’ fears about the durability of the EU – with a majority of citizens believing that there is a realistic possibility that the EU will fall apart in the next 20 years – seem to point in the direction of strengthening ties between member states rather than adding to their number. In other words, the French position of putting the brakes on enlargement has less to do with the Western Balkans itself than with President Emmanuel Macron’s desire to prioritise quality of integration. Yet Macron’s recent visit to Belgrade seemed to break with this pattern. For the first time in decades, a French president devoted significant time and political capital to a Western Balkans country. At the joint press conference with his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, Macron adopted a friendly attitude towards countries in the region (which occasionally prompted the audience to interrupt his speech with a standing ovation). But he did not mention the accession process, instead focusing on Serbia’s dispute with Kosovo. Macron promised to help relaunch talks on normalising ties between Serbia and Kosovo in the next few weeks, reaffirming France’s commitment to the joint format with Germany he helped create in Berlin last April. The German government convened the Berlin meeting to curtail behind-the-scenes negotiations between Vucic and Kosovo’s president, Hashim Thaci, over a potential land swap deal. German Chancellor Angela Merkel invited leaders from other Western Balkans countries to voice their concerns about the chain reaction such a deal could set off – and to persuade Macron to help her redirect the talks between Vucic and Thaci. The meeting also provided an opportunity to emphasise the fact that the negotiations had already prompted Kosovo’s prime minister, Ramush Haradinaj, to impose a 100 percent tariff on Serbian goods entering his country. Not much has changed since then. Even though Haradinaj has been forced to resign after being subpoenaed by war crimes prosecutors in The Hague, Kosovo has not given in to pressure to repeal the tariff. French diplomats hope that a new government in Pristina will try to mend fences with Belgrade. Paris wants Kosovo and Serbia to begin a process that will ease political tension and improve security in the Western Balkans. Berlin also wants this. But it also wants to reassert control over the dialogue between the countries – which Federica Mogherini, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, drove with little transparency on the proposed land swap. France’s and Germany’s main message for the Western Balkans is clear: countries in the region should prioritise efforts to demonstrate a sufficient level of political governance – and they will be permitted to begin the technical processes of EU accession only after they have achieved this. Thus, it is still too early to tell whether countries in the Western Balkans are moving towards EU membership or just an association between some sectors of their economies and the EU’s market. With the next European Commission unlikely to have enlargement high on its agenda, the EU’s next high representative for foreign affairs and security policy will be relatively influential in the region. When Josep Borrell leaves his post as Spanish foreign minister to take up the role, he will have to prove his “Europeanness” on the Western Balkans. With the United Kingdom leaving the EU – and thereby reducing its leverage in diplomacy in the region – Borrell will be forced to align with Berlin and Paris on the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. To produce sustainable solutions, any agreement between Serbia and Kosovo will need to encompass the wider political aspects of good neighbourly relations. The creation of a common future for communities in northern Kosovo and southern Serbia will involve a long-term view rather than just the demarcation of territory. The complex arrangements behind the makeup of Spain’s regions provide a good example of how countries can achieve a workable deal that goes beyond ethnic divisions. There are good examples of this in the Western Balkans as well: the agreement between North Macedonia and Greece, and that between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, are exactly the kind of political gestures that testify to countries’ willingness to resolve long-running disputes. Fostering the political will to reach such deals at the top, and helping the public understanding them, will be the next high representative’s main preoccupations in the Western Balkans. And while the EU is recalibrating its policies on the Western Balkans, other powers are upping their game there. The region has been a focus of China’s efforts to extend its Belt and Road Initiative in Europe for quite some time. There is a visible Chinese presence in almost every corner of the region. Meanwhile, military cooperation between Belgrade and Moscow is also thriving – to “preserve Serbia’s territorial integrity”, as Vucic announced last week in Nis. The southern Serbian city hosts the “Russian-Serbian Humanitarian Center”, which is widely regarded as a potential foothold for a Russian military presence in Serbia. Vucic visited Nis to welcome ten BRDM-2 military reconnaissance vehicles under the first phase a Serbia-Russia bilateral arms agreement. Last June, the Slavic Military Brotherhood exercise – which involved elite Belarussian, Russian, and Serbian troops – took place in northern Serbia.
The EU should not wait for too long before moving towards a more hands-on approach to economic, migration, and security issues in the Western Balkans. As it recalibrates its policy tools and their underlying logic, the EU should make clear that the onus is on Western Balkans countries to act responsibly. Their political maturity and choices, and not the box-ticking exercises that characterise the accession process, will set the tone of their relationship with the EU more than it has in recent decades.
