LOCAL PRESS

Vucic: No recognition of Kosovo within existing borders (Standard/B92/Tanjug)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic ruled out, in an interview with the Vienna daily Standard, that Belgrade should recognize Kosovo within its present borders. He added that it was unlikely that Belgrade would recognize Kosovo at all, although he said he had heard from the US that the EU had changed its stance and could ask Belgrade for recognition. Asked if Serbia would ever recognize Kosovo as an equal member of the international community, Vucic replied that it was a difficult question for the Serbs. “However, we want to see what they (Pristina negotiators) say and why they say something. Of course we want to hear what the EU has to say. So far, the EU has not set any preconditions for Serbia,” Vucic said. “However, we have heard from Americans that this may have changed, but we want to hear it from our European partners. I cannot rule out that the EU will seek recognition, but so far it has not done so,” he explained. Vucic said that the idea of the EU was a model of an agreement between the two German states, without formal recognition by Belgrade, which, of course, as he noted, would be easier for Serbia. Asked if the recognition of Kosovo by Belgrade could be within the existing borders, Vucic said: “I can tell you, that I almost absolutely exclude it.” Asked if this meant that it could only be done by changing borders or exchanging territories, he replied that he did not know what was going to happen. It is not very likely that we will recognize Kosovo. I do not think that will happen, but we cannot close the door to dialogue. Both sides have to lose in order for the win-win situation to arise. It cannot be that one side gets everything – recognition, our territory and our people. “What would Serbia get? Possible EU membership in ten years? And who would guarantee us that? Would that be the guarantee that was given to Northern Macedonia, which had been promised to open accession negotiations,” Vucic asked. He emphasized that there is only one condition for continuing the dialogue. “Pristina has to abolish fees and then we should discuss all things without preconditions. However, if before the possible dialogue it is said “we are not talking about territories, we are not talking about autonomy for the north, then what should we talk about? Under these conditions there is no negotiations,” Vucic said. While being reminded that the winner of the previous parliamentary elections in Kosovo, Albin Kurti, is ready to abolish the fees, but wants Serbia to recognize Kosovo license plates, Vucic replied that the leader of the Vetëvendosje had obviously not read the agreement. “There is already an agreement on license plates, according to which vehicles with Kosovo numbers must affix a sticker and vice versa. If Kurti wants to make a new deal, then let’s see what we can do. They have never been a state and are frustrated, which is why they say such stupid things,” he said. Regarding the change of generations after the election and the possible impact on the dialogue, Vucic said he was afraid of that influence. “In recent days, their public statements have been three times worse than those of Hashim Thaci and Ramush Haradinaj,” he concluded.

Dacic: Lesotho one of the 15 countries to suspend recognition of so-called Kosovo (Tanjug)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic spoke with Prime Minister of Lesotho Tomas Thabane, thanking him for his country’s decision to withdraw recognition of Kosovo’s independence.

Dacic reminded in a joint press conference with Thabane that the Kingdom of Lesotho is one of the 15 countries to suspend recognition of the so-called “Kosovo,” and added that Serbia owes Lesotho gratitude for accepting our arguments that it was a secession that could provoke problems in other countries as well. Given that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic will visit Africa next year, we discussed the road map and opportunities for developing bilateral economic and political relations, as well as cultural and defense relations, he said. Thabane said Lesotho has signed a defense cooperation agreement with Serbia, which opens the door to security, military and economic cooperation, as well as cooperation in science, medicine, veterinary medicine and military education. The government of Lesotho immeasurably supports the territorial integrity of Serbia and the withdrawal of Kosovo’s recognition as an independent state, he said.

Kenya supports Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug/RTS)

Kenya continues to stand by Serbia, Kenyan parliament speaker Justin Muturi, currently in official visit to Serbia, reiterated following talks with Serbian parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic. Gojkovic and Muturi stressed that the traditionally good bilateral relations accompanied by full mutual understanding and grounded in the historic friendship and support between the two nations deserve to be advanced in all areas of common interest. Recalling the cooperation from the times of the Non-Aligned Movement and period of Kenya’s independence struggles, Muturi said that Belgrade lives on in the memory of many Kenyans who worked on the development of the country, which is why cooperation between the two countries should continue to develop. Muturi stressed that Kenya supports Serbia, stands is firm in its support of UNSC Resolution 1244 and does not support any unilateral decisions or unilateralism. Gojkovic thanked Kenya for its principled adherence to international law, for not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo ajd Metohija and for supporting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. Gojkovic also thanked Kenya for its support in so-called “Kosovo’s” attempts to join international organizations. Gojkovic then thanked the Kenyan parliamentary delegation headed by Senate speaker Kenneth Lusaka for participating in the recent 141st Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Belgrade.

Antic: Bulgaria completing pipeline to Serbia (Beta)

Serbian Mining and Energy Minister Aleksandar Antic said on Monday that Bulgaria is completing its part of a pipeline between the two countries, the Ministry said in a statement on Monday. Antic and his Bulgarian counterpart Temenushenka Petkova toured Turkish Stream pipeline construction sites in Bulgaria with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov.  The Serbian Minister is quoted as saying that the Bulgarian authorities have finished the part of the pipeline from the border with Turkey to a compressor station and are starting construction on the pipeline section to Serbia. “I can say with absolute certainty that the Bulgarians will complete the project needed to supply gas to Serbia which will get the first gas supplies from it in 2020,” Antic said, adding that Serbia is working intensively on its section of the pipeline which he said would be completed by the end of the year. According to the Minister, the pipeline running from Turkey through Bulgaria and Serbia to Hungary represents a huge potential which will turn Serbia into a transit country. He said all the countries along the route have coordinated their efforts and are on schedule.

Serbia’s EAEU deal OK until EU accession – Brussels (Tanjug)

Serbia can have agreements with other countries or organizations such as the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) until it becomes an EU member state, Tanjug has been told in Brussels ahead of the signing of a Serbia-EAEU trade agreement, announced for 25 October. Brussels said it was watching the situation closely and that it maintained a constant political and trade dialogue with the Serbian authorities. “Serbia can enter into agreements with other countries and organizations before joining the EU. In the accession talks, Serbia has committed to withdraw from all bilateral trade agreements on the day it joins the EU,” said European Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic. She added this was not a new condition, but a general rule that was valid for all candidate countries seeking to become EU member states. She noted the EU remained Serbia’s top trade partner, accounting for 63 percent of its overall trade, with satisfactory growth and dynamics. “Trade with Russia accounts for less than 10 percent of Serbia’s overall trade, while European investments in Serbia are ten times higher than Russian ones,” she said.

REGIONAL PRESS

Dodik: There must be no introduction of principle that Sarajevo orders what is to be done (Dnevni list/ATV)

Commenting on announcements of SDS and PDP that they could be forming new majority, at the state level, that would not include SNSD, Serb member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and SNSD President Milorad Dodik said that the opposition could form new parliamentary majority and that there is no problem with that. According to Dodik, their (SDS’ and PDP’s) behavior allows ‘Muslims’ to manipulate with Serb national interests, stressing that ‘we’ offered them to be together in the state level authorities but they rejected it. In addition to this Dodik said that “we must not allow introduction of a principle according to which Sarajevo will order what is to be done, which is what they are doing now, and that is a problem”. SNSD MP in the B&H parliament Stasa Kosarac said on Monday that the leaders of SDS and PDP want to keep their positions in the B&H authorities so much that they started supporting the project of SDA and one part of the international community in B&H. the goal of this project, according to Kosarac, is the ruination of the Dayton organization of B&H and creation of a unitary, civic B&H which will be dominated by Bosniaks. Kosarac called honorary President of PDP Mladen Ivanic to explain the public what price SDS and PDP are ready to pay in order to stay in the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM). Kosarac reminded that Ivanic said that B&H needs to send the Annual National Program (ANP) to Brussels. Kosarac assessed that this means PDP prepared to adopt the ANP and send it, but then decided they will leave this to SNSD to be done. “They knew we will not accept this and this will make it possible for them to remain at their posts, distribute money and employ people how SDA and the international community see fit,” said Kosarac.

One should not blame Dodik for blockade of formation of authorities (EuroBlic)

Politicians who have been unable to secure holding of elections in Mostar for the entire decade have no right to accuse someone else for the political blockade of B&H. Mostar is the true face of (SDA leader) Bakir Izetbeogovic and (HDZ B&H leader) Dragan Covic. EuroBlic noted that “there is no (SNSD leader) Milorad Dodik in the Federation of B&H, yet not all cantons have the authorities in line with results of elections from 2018”. It went on to say that the Federation of B&H still does not have the Government, President and Vice Presidents, the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H has been existing in technical mandate for the past year, yet Dodik as the Serb member of the Presidency of B&H is being held responsible for everything in spite of the fact Republika Srpska (RS) was the first one to form its government and RS parliament after the elections. “It is horrible when worse starts criticizing the bad one”, reads the daily and notes that “one can hate Dodik as much as they want but, when it comes to blockades, facts are against them”. Daily argued that the blockade of formation of authorities did not happen because Dodik refused to accept the Annual National Plan (ANP) and added that nobody from the RS would agree to such precondition because the Law on Elections of B&H, Law on B&H CoM and B&H Constitution do not stipulate that B&H must join NATO in order to have the Chair of B&H CoM appointed. “Yes, NATO path is stipulated by the Law on Defense of B&H but if the authorities are to be formed based on this law, then B&H has turned into a military junta. The blockade happened here because blockades have been proclaimed at the highest level as a legitimate tool of political fight and blackmails,” reads the daily and argues that “chairs and money” are the only ideology of domestic politicians so the biggest preconditions are being presented in situations when a chair needs to be filled in.

Zvizdic thanks US National Security Council’s Erath for US’ overall support to B&H’s reform efforts (BHT1)

Chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Denis Zvizdic met with Deputy Director for Europe at the US National Security Council John Erath in Washington on Monday. On this occasion, Zvizdic thanked Erath for the US’ overall support and assistance to B&H’s reform efforts and in particular for the country’s path to the NATO and EU membership. Zvizdic and Erath agreed that B&H’s is a factor of stability in the Balkans and that respect for territorial integrity and strengthening of state institutions enables the reforms necessary for the democratization of the society and its prosperity. Zvizdic stressed that peace and stability do not have alternative and that the EU membership and NATO represents synonym of peace and stability.

Hundreds of migrants arrive in Tuzla (Hayat/N1)

Several hundred of migrants arrive in Tuzla from the direction of Zvornik and Bratunac on a daily basis. Citizens are the only ones helping them at the bus station in Tuzla. They expect this problem to get even more complicated due to cold weather, as well as due to the fact that a new influx of migrants from Serbia is expected in the upcoming period. B&H Deputy Minister of Security Mijo Kresic stated on Monday that it is necessary to update the migration management system and to rapidly form new authorities at the level of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM), which would have to improve this system. “We are facing a very complicated security challenge and security threat. I think we have not had a quality response to this security threat by now. I am afraid it will turn into a humanitarian crisis in the upcoming period. It is obvious that the number of migrants entering B&H has increased lately,” Kresic said. SDA’s representative in B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Semsudin Mehmedovic said that in the context of migrant crisis, the EU and entire international community (IC) do not have fair attitude towards B&H. Mehmedovic explained that the EU has been giving EUR millions to Croatia to strengthen protection of its borders, while it has been giving EUR millions to B&H for accommodation of migrants. He also stated that it looks as an attempt to make B&H carry the entire burden of the migrant crisis. He added that B&H authorities do not have a proper response to this problem. Mehmedovic underlined that B&H authorities have started to seriously deal with this issue only in in last few months. Leader of United Srpska and Head of Serb Caucus in B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Nenad Stevandic underlined that the Ministry of Security of B&H, Dragan Mektic has been undermining relations with Croatia and Serbia, as well as with the Republika Srpska (RS) authorities. “This makes us look incapable. Also, there are suspicions that a large amount of money B&H got for this purpose was misused. Third, we do not have cooperation with those most important for resolving of this crisis – Serbia and Croatia,” stressed Stevandic.

Kovac: For progress in relations with Croatia, Serbia needs statesman like Willy Brandt (Hina)

The chairman of the Croatian parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee, Miro Kovac of the ruling HDZ party, said that for progress to be made in its relations with Croatia, Serbia needed a statesman like former German Chancellor Willy Brandt, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize almost 50 years ago. On October 20, 1971, 25 years after World War II, Brandt was awarded for concrete initiatives designed to defuse tensions in relations between West Germany and the Soviet Union and Poland because he extended a hand of reconciliation between the peoples that had been enemies for a long time, Kovac wrote on social networks. Even though a quarter of a century has passed since the aggression on Croatia and the Homeland War, war-related issues, such as the search for people gone missing and the payment of compensation to former inmates of Serb-run concentration camps, have still not been resolved, Kovac wrote. The HDZ official believes that if issues stemming from Serbia’s legacy from the 1990s war are not efficiently resolved, it will continue affecting relations between Croatia and Serbia for decades to come as well as affect the coexistence of the Croat majority and the Serb minority in Croatia, notably Vukovar. “That’s what history teaches us. If things from the past are not resolved, they always resurface somehow. For progress to be made in relations between Croatia and Serbia, we need as a partner a reputable statesman in Serbia, someone like Willy Brandt,” Kovac said.

Enlargement policy will become priority after Brexit (RTCG)

Prime Minister of Montenegro Dusko Markovic hopes that, once the Brexit situation is over, the EU enlargement policy will be in the focus again. Markovic said that he hoped Brexit would solve a great problem and open up new opportunities for candidate countries. “Brexit is one of the most difficult open questions that the EU has faced for the last several years. Brexit deal shouldn’t affect the dynamics of the negotiations with Montenegro. On the contrary, we expect it to have positive effect,” said Markovic. He added that the ratification of Brexit deal in the European and British Parliament would be a great relief to both sides. He warned that the EU’s decision not to open negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania conveyed a negative message to the Western Balkans. “Blocking negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania is a bad signal and a negative message for the entire WB. At the same time, it’s bad for Brussels’ position,” Markovic said while stressing that the EU cannot be complete, united and safe without Western Balkans.

Kremlin controls the election of opposition leader (Pobjeda)

In Montenegro and Serbia, Russia finances part of the opposition and a block of anti-European populist parties is to be expected in the next elections, says in the interview for Pobjeda Dusan Janjic, director of the Belgrade Forum for Ethnic Relations.

Elections in Serbia and Montenegro are scheduled for the next year. To what extent is Russia the threat?

Janjic: Russia’s influence on political structures in Serbia is evidently very powerful. As every other force which is trying to be a regional and world player, Russia has its own mechanisms of imposing some topics and leaders, as well as intelligence and other activities which we had an opportunity to see in Montenegro and Macedonia. There will still be such examples.

In my opinion, resistance of national structures is crucial: it is clear who the carriers of the Russian influence are in Montenegro. Opposition in Serbia and Montenegro is not allowed to say that it is against the EU. However, opposition in Serbia be opposing NATO and the opposition in Montenegro will be opposing corruption. Why? Because Russian view on the EU has changed. Russia’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr Sergey Lavrov, said loud and clear: you can’t be EU members without asking Russia first. That means that this year will see the emergence of a terrible block of anti-European populist parties. In Serbia, pro-Russian spectacles will be featuring the stage. In Montenegro, some new anti-European programs will appear. In Serbia, they will be opposing NATO and settling the Kosovo issue. Russian influence is going to be stronger in Serbia than in Montenegro.

According to Serbian media, Montenegro is constantly under threat of protests and riots. Is the end to that in sight?

Janjic: No. Not at all. It will never stop. Yugoslavia has brought that one thing that isn’t going to be changed for long. Whoever is a democrat, he or she must be an anti-communist. Which translates as a nationalist. Resistance against Yugoslavia and its anti-fascism was fierce and all nationalist movements in its territory were fascist and pro-fascist, although there was no anti-fascism. When a history is made, it is made in such a way that democrats are regarded as nationalists.

Now when the EU doesn’t approve of opening negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, how real is the idea of Balkan customs union between these two states and Serbia? Does the EU support Serbia in that context?

Janjic: That’s an old idea, recommended by Visegrad Group, Nordic Council… However, an idea of some sort of customs union with its own institutions will never be implemented. But, the first item of the Declaration, referring to freedom of movement of people, capital, workforce…definitely will be put into practice. Montenegro’s president advocates for that too, and this idea directly corresponds with the Berlin process: introducing joint border crossings that Serbia already has with Kosovo, and Kosovo with Albania. One day, Serbia will have joint border crossings with Montenegro and Bosnia. Border crossings are marked, but there are no control points there, people cross with their ID cards, whereas the official border crossings are located in ports for example, there are no additional customs duties… It’s called “mini Schengen”.

Do you expect Serbia to normalize relations with Kosovo in June next year?

Janjic: That’s not a reasonable forecast. Until January, intense preparations, both political and lobbyist, will be taking place, followed by negotiations, and that might be enough to reach some compromise over some sort of agreement. But full normalization, based on the criteria established by EC, does not only entail signing some paper, as Serbia has two years to apply that through the Constitution and laws. If Serbia fails to do so, it will have another year… so formally, that agenda is to be expected three years after the agreement was signed.

Zbogar: You delivered everything that was asked of you, unfortunately we again delayed the issue (MIA)

You delivered everything that was asked of you, you did your share. But the European Union makes these decisions unanimously and unfortunately, we again delayed the issue. We understand the disappointment of the citizens and the politicians with the decision from the European Council in Brussels, but remain committed to North Macedonia and the region, says EU Ambassador Samuel Zbogar in an interview with news agency MIA. The EU Ambassador says reforms are required in the decision-making process within the EU and enlargement to the region remains a strategic priority and that has not changed.

Asked if the country can expect a date for accession negotiations at the Zagreb summit in May 2020, Zbogar says the EU should refrain from making promises.

“We should refrain from promises, since we promised in June 2018, June 2019, October 2019 so now we should step back from promising certain dates but rather all focus on making the real change” says Zbogar.

Message from Berlin: The road to the EU remains open (Nezavisen vesnik)

The ruling German coalition CDU/CSU said that the road to the EU remains open for North Macedonia and Albania, despite the EU Council’s decision not to open accession negotiations with the two countries. Deputy Chairman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag, Johann David Wadephul, and the reporter in charge Christian Schmidt urged Skopje and Tirana to continue with reforms and convince anyone who might have doubts that their place is in the EU. Schmidt says that the negative decision of the European Council must be revised promptly. “North Macedonia and Albania’s road to the EU should not be blocked. We remain convinced that there’s a place in the EU for all Western Balkan countries if they meet the criteria. Eventually, this includes the start of the accession negotiations. The accomplishment of the countries needs to be acknowledged – changing the name and a comprehensive judiciary reform, while the countries themselves need to continue implementing reforms and eliminating deficits. If the EU doesn’t take care of the Western Balkans, other powers will make it their sphere of influence. Nobody really wants that,” Schmidt says in a statement on CDU/CSU’s website. It’s in the interest of Germany and the EU that accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania start very soon, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier said. Altmaier, who is to visit the Balkans in the coming days, told German newspaper Bild that he was disappointed with the outcome of the EU Summit in Brussels. “It is in our interest to start accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, acknowledging their great efforts for democracy and stability. Accession negotiations with the two countries should start very soon,” Altmaier said.

Macron to visit Skopje and Tirana next month (Nezavisen vesnik)

President of France Emmanuel Macron is set to meet with Zoran Zaev and Edi Rama next month in Skopje and Tirana, reports Exit.al. With his visit, Macron seems to be aiming to prove to Albania and Macedonia that the European perspective of these countries is still open and France will help them achieve it. A diplomatic source in Tirana said there were no details of the visit as it had recently been decided on”.

Stoltenberg: I look forward to North Macedonia joining our Alliance (Nezavisen vesnik)

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg posted on Twitter that he had spoken with PM Zoran Zaev over the phone to reaffirm Alliance’s commitment to North Macedonia’s accession.

“Good phone call with PM Zoran Zaev to reaffirm NATO’s commitment to North Macedonia’s accession. The ratification process is well on track & I look forward to North Macedonia joining our Alliance soon,” wrote Stoltenberg.

VMRO DPMNE ahead of SDSM by six percent (Netpres)

Macedonia’s most influential opposition party VMRO-DPMNE is ranked six percent ahead of the ruling Prime Minister Zoran Zaev’s SDSM, according to an IPIS poll conducted by Europe Choice. The survey was conducted from September 14 to 17 this year, before the government fiasco in Brussels, when North Macedonia and Albania, due to opposition from France, were not given a start date for EU accession talks. Macedonia’s Netpres reports that the survey was conducted on 1,209 respondents, of whom 42.6 percent supported VMRO-DPMNE, while SDSM received the support of 36.6 percent. Compared to the results of the 2016 parliamentary elections, VMRO DPMNE increased its rating by 4.5 percent. That year, the party had a rating of 38.1 percent, and now it has 42.6 percent.

Rama to hold meetings with leaders of EU countries to understand the further progress of the process (Radio Tirana)

Prime Minister Edi Rama has revealed the details of the meeting held with the SP Chairmanship. The head of government said that beyond discussions on the electoral process within the party, the EU’s decision not to open negotiations with Albania was also the core issue under discussion.

He stated that in the coming days he would meet with French President Emmanuel Macron and a number of leaders of other EU countries to find out the further progress of the integration process. “I believe you know that we are in an electoral process within the party. Today, on one hand, we have analyzed the progress of the process, on the other hand we have agreed on the proposal of women members of the party’s chairmanship, MPs and ministers, to start the process of involving women and girls as co-chairs of the SP organization. This is an important innovative and a necessary process since we are the most voted party of women and girls in Albania.

Secondly, we discussed the topic of the day, about not opening accession negotiations, not making the right decision for Albania and of course we strongly agree that this does not change anything in the country and SP’s strategic trajectory and strategy.  In the coming days I’m having a series of communications with the President of France and a number of other leaders of member countries to understand the further progress of the process,” Rama said.

Merkel: EU has already turned its back on the two countries, failing to keep their promise (Radio Tirana)

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that European Union leaders have failed to agree to open negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia, though her country wants it.

Merkel said the EU has already turned its back on the two countries, failing to keep their promise, as there are some countries that have reservations about the opening of negotiations. She praised the progress made in North Macedonia and Albania, adding that there were some opposing countries, such as France, the Netherlands and Denmark. “We have agreed on some things to do. Germany wants negotiations to open. North Macedonia has done a lot in terms of opening negotiations, changing the name, there has been great progress in this country, but Albania has also made some progress. I keep thinking that Albania has done a lot, but it still hasn’t made enough to make us take a unanimous decision. They have to face some conditions that we have set. Emigration is still a problem in Albania. However, Albania has done its best in terms of immigration. When we make promises we definitely have to keep them. There are several stages to membership. I really want them to become members of the EU,” Merkel said.

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

Macron breaks Balkans promise in quest for EU dominance (EUobserver, by Kurt Bassuener and Toby Vogel, 21 October 2019)

When people power forced out North Macedonia’s regime in 2016, this was an inspiration to dissatisfied citizens around the Balkans. Other authoritarians such as president Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia took note and tightened their stranglehold on political and economic life, determined not to let the same happen in their countries. North Macedonia’s incoming centre-left government then struck historic deals with neighbours Bulgaria and Greece; on Greek insistence, it changed its name and ended a dispute that had blocked its path toward the EU and Nato for almost a quarter of a century. The EU responded by promising to open accession talks. Meanwhile, former prime minister Nikola Gruevski was whisked out of the country by Hungarian diplomats and evaded justice. He is today a guest of Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, his ideological soulmate inside the EU. At this week’s EU summit in Brussels, the EU’s promise was broken. Whereas a decision had been twice postponed before, France has escalated to holding the whole collectively agreed enlargement process hostage, demanding a rethink of the accession method before talks begin with the two current candidates – North Macedonia and Albania. If France’s vague demand stands, EU enlargement for those not already negotiating would evaporate. The terms for those countries already in that process – Serbia and Montenegro – would be muddied rather than clarified in a useful way. Finally, there is a serious risk of a Gruevski comeback in early elections that have, in the wake of France’s veto, been called for next April. In a piece of unprecedented policy vandalism, Macron has killed off a policy that until recently was seen as a core function of the EU, and which is the EU’s only strategy toward its Balkan neighbours. He is right that a policy review and recalibration is needed – the frontrunners in EU accession talks, Montenegro and Serbia, have both seen significant democratic and rule of law backsliding, which belies the theory that the closer a country is to joining, the stronger is the motivation to reform. But Macron does not truly want to reform the process, he wants to wreck it. This European Council has brought him a great deal closer to that goal. Contrary to many expectations, he did not blink when confronted by Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. He held fast against almost all other member states in insisting that a decision be postponed until after a policy review. What happened in Brussels this week indicates France’s attempt to transform a lowest common denominator approach to enlargement that amounted to containment into a formalised containment policy. France says that both North Macedonia and especially Albania have not advanced far enough to start membership negotiations, and that the accession process is no longer adequate to the task at hand. Neither of these arguments is entirely without merit. But nor do they constitute the true picture. The absence of critique of the two “frontrunners,” despite their manifest state capture, is one clue. The way in which France’s assertions have been advanced – without any specifics of what the two candidates are supposed to do to meet French demands, and without specific proposals on how to reform the process – suggests that what’s at stake, for Macron, is France’s leadership role in a post-Brexit EU. The Balkan states, and enlargement in general, are merely collateral damage – expendable in his quest for supremacy. If the EU is still talking accession with Serbia and Montenegro, there is no objective reason why it would not do so with North Macedonia and Albania. The current mood inside the EU is dark. A number of illiberal democracies are emerging, none more fully captured than Hungary. All of them are in member states that joined in 2004 or after. But the argument that the EU should therefore block enlargement is short-sighted. In fact, fighting for values and standards in the enlargement countries is of one piece with the fighting for the same values and standards inside the union.

Illiberal allies

Perversely for a president who has portrayed himself as the anti-Orban in the EU firmament, Macron has effectively allied with Orban and other illiberals on the EU periphery. These include Serbia’s president Vucic. It also includes Macron’s openness to ethno-territorial border shifts, beginning with a “land swap” proposed by Vucic and his recently weakened Kosovo counterpart president Hashim Thaci. On this issue, Macron is even effectively allied with US president Donald Trump against Merkel. As such, he makes the national populist disease – and all its attendant effects, including climate crisis denialism – stronger in Europe, not weaker.

If Macron believes that this policy will protect him against this domestically or closer to home, he is likely to be disappointed. Europe’s illiberals are allied and coordinated beyond the EU member states – indeed, beyond the confines of Europe. Macron seems to believe he can better defend his vision of an EU as a Fortress Europe by eschewing alliances with popular exponents of the EU’s foundational values outside its ranks. This policy is doomed to fail – weakening Europe when it needs to consolidate around its fundamental values to face unprecedented societal and civilisational challenge.

Kurt Bassuener and Toby Vogel are co-founders and senior associates of the Democratisation Policy Council, a Berlin-based think-tank. They live in Dundee and Brussels, respectively.

The views expressed in this opinion piece are the author’s, not those of EUobserver.

Final EP Rapporteurs revealed: Bilčik for Serbia, Rangel for Bosnia and Herzegovina (European Western Balkans, 22 October 2019)

BRUSSELS – Two members of the European People’s Party have been elected as European Parliament Standing Rapporteurs for the Western Balkan countries yesterday. Vladimir Bilčik from Slovakia will be the Rapporteur for Serbia, while Paulo Rangel from Portugal will be in charge of reports on Bosnia and Herzegovina, EWB finds out. European People’s Party (EPP) retained the positions of Rapporteurs for the two Balkan countries. During the previous mandate of the European Parliament, David McAllister served as the Rapporteur for Serbia, while Cristian Dan Preda was the Rapporteur for BiH. Ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) is an associate member of the EPP, while several parties from BiH hold the observing membership status: SDA, HDZ BiH and PDP.

Who are the new Rapporteurs?

Bilčik, a newcomer to the European Parliament and a member of centre-right SPOLU, was previously elected as the Chair of the Delegation to EU-Montenegro Stabilisation and Association Parliamentary Committee. “I would like to use my expertise and political energy to support the EU’s active role in the Western Balkans and I am ready to work with both countries in their respective efforts towards EU membership”, stated Bilčik upon his election as Rapporteur. Previously, Bilčik worked as a political analyst and a university professor.

On the other hand, Paulo Rangel is an experienced MEP, winning his third mandate in 2019 as the leading candidate of the liberal-conservative Social Democratic Party of Portugal. Rangel is also the Vice-Chair of the European People’s Party group in the European Parliament and the Vice-President of the European People’s Party. Before entering European Parliament, Rangel was a member of the national parliament. He is a jurist by profession and has been a member of the Constitutional Committee of the EP ever since he became MEP. Rangel is not the only MEP from Portugal to become the Rapporteur for a Western Balkan country. His colleague from S&D group Isabel Santos was previously elected as the Rapporteur for Albania. Croatian MEP Tonino Picula (S&D) is the new Rapporteur for Montenegro. Member of the liberal Renew Europe group Ilhan Kyuchyuk from Bulgaria will be in charge of North Macedonia, while German Greens MEP Viola von Cramon has succeeded Igor Šoltes as a Rapporteur for Kosovo.

Rapporteurs of the European Parliament for the Western Balkan countries are responsible for drafting the annual reports adopted by EP’s Foreign Affairs Committee and then discussed in the plenary sessions. It is a non-binding but influential way to point out the issues EU is most concerned with when it comes to the candidate countries.