LOCAL PRESS
Vucic: Serbia faces political and security challenges (Beta)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic told a ceremony at the Security Information Agency (BIA) that Serbia faces difficult political and security challenges, adding that the country’s top civilian intelligence and security agency has to do everything to keep the peace at home and in the region. “Despite the fact that we are in a year which is economically better than any other… we face an exceptionally difficult political and security situation and a number of challenges. Not only because of regional problems and relations with Pristina, very complex relations in the region, but also because of the fact, and this has to be in the focus of your attention, that layers of the interests of various players, global and European big and powerful countries, are intertwined on our territory,” Vucic told the BIA Day ceremony. He said the agency has to cooperate with everyone and has an obligation to strengthen Serbia’s position. The president said that the economy and armed forces would continue to grow stronger, not because Serbia is planning to wage war with anyone but to prevent a repeat of the 1999 bombing campaign. “You must bear in mind the fact that you need to defend Serbia’s interests at every moment. We want nothing that isn’t ours. We want cooperation with everyone but you have to be firm, brave and make Serbia your most important goal,” Vucic said. He said the presence of a large number of representatives of similar foreign services is a reflection of the respect the BIA enjoys. “Our service has to cooperate with everyone but there is no place in it for people who work for other services. Exchange experiences but always work for Serbia. That is what we need to maintain independence, sovereignty and military neutrality,” he said. The President said the BIA would get state of the art equipment and its personnel would get better living standards.
India’s continued support for Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug/RTV)
Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic held a bilateral meeting today with Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, on the sidelines of a ministerial meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Baku. Dacic expressed his pleasure that Jaishankar will visit Serbia soon, emphasizing that India is a great friend and ally of Serbia, and that it is important for the purpose of improving bilateral relations to maintain intensive contacts and organize more joint activities.
He also reminded of his very successful visit to India last year. Dacic briefed his interlocutor on the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and thanked India for its continued support for Serbia’s territorial integrity. Dacic pointed out that there is room for improvement of economic cooperation, as well as greater presence of Indian companies in Serbia and the whole region.
The Indian Foreign Minister stressed that territorial integrity was a very important issue for India and thanked Serbia for its support to India on this issue, noting that their position on Kosovo and Metohija would not change. Jaishankar explained that there is a lot of interest from Indian companies for investing abroad, and that the focus in recent years has shifted from Western Europe to new markets. He singled out tourism as one of the areas where greater cooperation could be achieved, according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Djuric: Unheard of racism in counting of Serb votes in Kosovo and Metohija (RTS/Tanjug)
The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric has characterized the re-counting of Serb votes under masks in Kosovo and Metohija as an unheard of manifestation of racism that would need to face a louder condemnation in the entire international community. “I think we cannot be satisfied as long as we don’t receive answers from relevant European and international institutions to questions, also posed by President Vucic over the past days, and this is whether we the Serbs are dirty or perhaps poisoners, or whether we have done anything to deserve such a treatment for the Serbs votes to be counted under masks and overalls as if we have rash,” said Djuric.
Office for KiM: International missions in Kosovo and Metohija to monitor the Arsic case (Tanjug/RTV)
The Office for Kosovo and Metohija has announced that one more Serb, Nenad Arsic, has found himself under attack by the Pristina judiciary on suspicion of being responsible for war crimes
And calls on international missions in Kosovo and Metohija to carefully monitor this case.
US and Russian Ambassadors on resolving Kosovo knot (Novosti)
In the period while the formation of the new government in Pristina and a possible resumption of the dialogue is being awaited, and along with louder announcements of including “players” in the entire process, Novosti daily addressed the same questions about the negotiations and possible solutions of the Kosovo knot to the Embassies of Russia, US, France and Germany to Serbia. We have received responses from the diplomatic representatives of Washington and Moscow.
Questions
- Should the format of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue change in order to directly include, except for the EU, the representatives of Russia, US and other great powers such as Germany, France and China?
- Would you support a solution that would head in the direction of correction of borders if Belgrade and Pristina agree on this?
- Do you consider it necessary for Serbia to recognize so-called Kosovo or would an agreement of the two sides, that would not imply this, be sustainable?
Aleksandr Botsan-Kharchenko, Ambassador of Russia: We will support any agreement of the two sides
- For the time being, we do not see all the necessary prerequisites and conditions for efficient negotiations. The Kosovo issue needs to be resolved strictly within the international-legal framework based on UN Security Council Resolution 1244. Moscow could participate in this process, but only if there is interest by Belgrade in this and an adequate invitation from Belgrade.
- For us there can be no correction of borders between two states because we do not recognize Kosovo. At present, Kosovo and Metohija is a province within Serbia.
- In the end we will support any option agreed by Belgrade and Pristina. The UN Security Council can approve only a compromise solution.
Gabriel Escobar, deputy US Ambassador: Recognition in basis of any agreement
- Why would we waste so much time on dialogue about dialogue instead of doing something. What is important is for the two sides – Belgrade and Pristina – to undertake necessary steps in order to return to the negotiating table as soon as possible. They will inevitably need the support of the international community in order to reach the desired goals, while the US is there, together with European partners, to lend them this support. Both sides aim at EU membership so the EU has undertaken the leading role in that dialogue, which is quite logical. But also all others, who wish to support in an open and transparent way and push this process, should help to a degree the negotiating sides wish their help. What I am worried about are the real intentions of some who are now offering help. Do they also want Serbia to reach its goal of entering the EU? Do they also realize that the status quo is a sort of swamp over which the tragic departure of young people from Serbia will continue indefinitely? Or perhaps they see in the status quo and regional instability some political and economic possibilities for themselves? Are they prepared to roll up their sleeves and give all of themselves to help the two sides to reach an agreement and progress towards their European aspirations?
- The US is not offering ready solutions. This is an issue for Belgrade and Pristina. We are aware that it is not easy to reach a compromise solution – the essence of a compromise is to give up something, but also to get something. As President Vucic often says, there is no other reasonable alternative. Serbia and Kosovo need to reach an agreement that is implementable, lasting and doesn’t produce instability either in the country or in the region. We will seriously perceive every agreement that fulfills these conditions. Now is the moment to move forward.
- As President Trump has announced to both sides, in our opinion, mutual recognition should be in the basis of every agreement. As his envoy, Ambassador Grenell, clearly presented, we are focused on helping the region unleash its economic potential. Leading businesspeople of the largest economy of the world are repeating that they are hesitating with investments and coming to a politically instable region. Why would any of them risk walking on the ice of a frozen conflict?
Falconi: France wants Serbia and region in EU (Beta)
French Ambassador Jean-Louis Falconi said on Wednesday his country want to see Serbia and the other countries of the Western Balkans in the European Union. The Ambassador said that he heard various comments in the European Commission and added that France’s proposal was to improve expansion. “What my president proposed was to improve expansion, not just have chapters but to introduce more humanity and that humanity is reflected in exchanges of young people on both sides, not just bureaucratic elements,” he told a reception for participants in an event introducing French universities. Falconi said that the goal is to exchange students from France and Serbia. “Those studies turn young people into citizens of the world and the goal is to have go back to their own or go to some other country. Our goal is not to keep them in France but to have them become people with knowledge,” he said.
New US Ambassador arrives in Belgrade (Beta)
The new American Ambassador to Serbia Anthony Godfrey arrived in Belgrade on Wednesday, the US Embassy said. A post on the embassy Twitter account said that the ambassador and his wife landed at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla airport. He was given a badge with crossed US and Serbian flags for his lapel on arrival. “They have a real Indian summer and a free weekend to get to known the city! What would you recommend to learn about their new home? Their first days in Belgrade will be shared on social networks,” the tweet in Serbian said. The Embassy also posted pictures of Ambassador Godfrey and his wife at the airport.
REGIONAL PRESS
SNSD and DNS led by party leaders Dodik and Pavic agree that functioning of coalition is not in question (RTRS)
SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and DNS leader Marko Pavic held a meeting in Banja Luka on Wednesday to discuss the relations between SNSD and DNS in the Republika Srpska (RS)-level ruling coalition. On this occasion, Dodik and Pavic concluded that the coalition will continue functioning, although they admitted that there are certain problems at lower levels of authorities. Dodik and Pavic agreed to meet again next week to continue discussing the issues. According to the leaders of SNSD and DNS, coalition relations between DNS and SNSD at the levels of the RS and Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) are not disputable. The two party leaders assessed that, by discussing the issues that burden their parties’ mutual relations, an important step in solving the issues has been made. They both emphasized that the atmosphere at the meeting was constructive, as they presented a number of suggestions on ways to improve relations within the coalition. Dodik stated that, in the future, SNSD and the DNS leader will react in a timely manner to everything that might threaten to affect their relations. Dodik remarked that he has to disappoint all those who expected that the position of the RS would be undermined in some way, due to certain issues with DNS at the local level. Pavic specified that he and Dodik presented numerous suggestions on how to improve the living standards in the RS, parliamentary work in the RS National Assembly (RSNA) and work at the level of B&H. “The same meeting should take place next week”, the DNS leader confirmed. He added that SNSD and DNS have a common stance that they should strengthen and deepen relations of their two parties.
France launched unofficial diplomatic consultations; Privileged special partnership to certain Western Balkan countries, instead of membership in EU (Nezavisne)
Unnamed sources have confirmed to Nezavisne novine daily that France has launched unofficial diplomatic consultations, as they want to offer privileged special partnership to certain Western Balkan countries, instead of membership in EU. According to this proposal, Western Balkan countries would be offered financial assistance, special arrangements for access to European markets and other benefits, in exchange for them ‘silently’ giving up on full membership in the EU. Sources told daily that France is under pressure to give up on its veto and allow the adoption of decision on beginning of membership negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania at the European summit scheduled to take place in March 2020. The daily learns that this is the reason why elections in North Macedonia are scheduled to take place in April, because authorities in this country are waiting to see what will happen at the summit in March. The daily also learns that B&H should be discussed at the summit in March, if authorities in the country are established and if concrete steps are made to implement European Commission’s recommendations listed in the Opinion and Analytical Report adopted in May 2019. Daily reminded that Germany made the same offer to Turkey some ten years ago, and it was perceived back then as an elegant way of giving up on Turkey’s membership in the EU. Daily also noted that a number of European media have criticized France, accusing it of pushing the region of Western Balkans into hands of Russia, Turkey and China. According to daily, German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier tried to minimize the damage during his visit to Belgrade on Tuesday, by saying that Germany is disappointed and that the country would advocate continuation of the EU enlargement. Outgoing President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has also said that he is disappointed with decision not to launch the accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania, because those countries have invested a lot of efforts. Juncker said that the EU has basically sent a message that it does not fulfill its promises. Prime Minister of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev rejected French President Emmanuel Macron’s initiative, saying that his country does not want strategic partnership instead of membership in the EU.
Newly-appointed EP’s Rapporteur for B&H Rangel: I am willing to help B&H on its European path (N1)
Portuguese member of the European Parliament (MEP) Paulo Rangel has been appointed the European Parliament (EP)’s Rapporteur for Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Rangel, who was nominated by the European People’s Party (EPP), will replace Cristian Dan Preda from Romania on this function. Speaking for N1, Rangel stated that he is aware of the seriousness of his task as the EP’s Rapporteur for B&H and expressed willingness to provide help to B&H on its European path. Rangel also announced that he will soon pay a visit to Sarajevo, but he did not specify a date for when that might happen. Rangel expressed an intention to talk to all political actors in B&H, so that he would get to know the situation as best as possible before approaching the actual work. Still, Rangel is quite familiar with the situation in B&H and has been dealing with B&H for years, through his political group EPP, only this time he will deal with it more thoroughly as the EP’s Rapporteur. The newly-appointed EP’s Rapporteur expects that his experience will be of help to B&H on the European path, although he knows how difficult the situation is. “This is one of the most difficult challenges for the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) of the EP. As you know, the situation in B&H is such that it has not made a lot of progress. I believe that we will be able to build bridges between certain B&H actors. That is necessary for the sake of democratic development of B&H” the EP’s Rapporteur stressed. He emphasized that B&H naturally belongs in the EU. Rangel said he was elected because he knows situation in B&H very well, and he plans to help the country achieve institutional, democratic and political progress. Asked about the EU’s rejection of talks with Albania and North Macedonia, Rangel said he believes this stance is only temporary, because vast majority of the EU citizens supports enlargement.
Plenkovic: After last three years of intensive work, we reached level that was necessary for EC to conclude that Croatia fulfilled criteria for joining Schengen area (HRT1)
Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic asked how he intends to secure Slovenia’s support for Croatia’s accession to the Schengen, said that following the European Commission’s (EC) decision to give Croatia the green light for joining the Schengen area, EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos came to Zagreb on Wednesday. “He came to personally convey a message of support and assessment that Croatia fulfilled criteria related to eight areas of the so-called Schengen acquis. We believe that after the last three years of intensive work on fulfillment of those criteria that we reached the level that was necessary for the Commission to conclude in its report that Croatia fulfilled the criteria and it suggested to the Council to discuss the report published by the Commission. I believe that in our political and diplomatic contacts we will explain all our achievements, work on achieving consensus which we need, along with the approval of the parliament. EU’s presidency over the EU is coming up and it is unrealistic to believe that this dossier will come on the agenda during our presidency because it is not a custom to discuss a topic linked to the presiding country during the presidency of that country,” Plenkovic said. Plenkovic did not want to speculate as to when Croatia could officially join the Schengen area, adding that Croatia has two deeper integration goals, including joining the Schengen area and joining the Euro. “We made huge progress on both matters in the mandate of this government,” Plenkovic underlined. Asked whether he expects Croatia to join the Schengen area before Bulgaria and Romania, which got the green light for that eight years ago, Plenkovic said that the situation is different, noting that Bulgaria and Romania, when joining the EU, agreed to a special mechanism called mechanism of cooperation and verification of obligations that the two countries assumed then. “When it was concluding its negotiations, Croatia insisted on not having such a mechanism and we do not have it. Therefore, the difference is huge,” Plenkovic stressed.
EU Commissioner Avramopoulos: With Croatia as a member of Schengen Area, the EU could face migration and security challenges better (HRT1)
EU Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Dimitris Avramopoulos told a news conference in Zagreb on Wednesday that with Croatia as a member of the Schengen Area, the EU could face migration and security challenges better. “The accession of Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania is even more relevant today, taking into consideration the migration and security challenges we are faced with,” Avramopoulos said after talks with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, Croatian Minister of Interior Davor Bozinovic and Croatian Justice Minister Drazen Bosnjakovic. “With Croatia’s accession to the Schengen Area, we would be even more prepared to face those challenges” Avramopoulos said, adding that Croatia met all obligations it had assumed when joining the EU that were relevant for accession to the EU’s passport-free area of travel. Bozinovic also commented the situation in B&H and said that when it comes to the migrant crisis, everyone is talking about the Una-Sana Canton and the eastern border of B&H, where the authorities need to increase control. With regards to Croatian borders, Bozinovic said that they have everything under control and their officers are able to deal with illegal migration. Avramopoulos underlined that Croatia must maintain high monitoring level of its borders, especially its border with B&H.
Japan supports European perspective of the Balkans (CDM)
On the second day of his visit to Tokyo, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic met with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Djukanovic invited Abe to visit Montenegro. Abe agreed and said he would be glad to see Montenegro and its beauties. Abe thanked Djukanovic for attending the ceremony of the enthronement of the Emperor Naruhito. “Japan appreciates relations with Montenegro and we want to improve our ties even further. Japan will continue to support economic and social reforms in Montenegro,” said Abe. In addition, Abe asked for the further encouragement of the surroundings, as it will contribute to strengthening overall ties between Montenegro and Japan. Ave reiterated Japan’s support for the United Europe and integration of the Western Balkans. Djukanovic said that it was a great honor for him to attend the enthronement ceremony. He thanked for the warm hospitality and reception, and said he was sure that regular political contacts were necessary for improving Montenegro-Japan friendship. He welcomed the presence of some renowned Japanese companies in Montenegro.
“President praised the new Japanese initiative for the WB countries and endorsed its concept, including the decision on the appointment of special ambassador to WB,” the statement said.
Djukanovic expressed interest in intensifying cooperation in the field of science, technology, and improvement of conditions of scientific-technological institutions, transfer of knowledge and technologies and training at prestigious Japanese institutes. Djukanovic also welcomed the possibility of opening Japanese Embassy in Podgorica, which would be the first step towards the improvement of bilateral ties. Djukanovic said he and Abe had discussed encouraging economic cooperation. For Montenegro, cooperation in the area of technology, science and innovation is particularly interesting. “I suggested that we should work together on bringing innovation into the agreement, which is a legal basis for the cooperation in this domain. Agreement between Yugoslavia and Montenegro, signed in 1981, is still in force” reminds Djukanovic. Djukanovic also describes his experience at the enthronement ceremony. “It was a very important event. Representatives from all over the world came to see the ceremony. The fact that Montenegro was there too is very important for our further affirmation,” said Djukanovic.
Zaev: Too early to discuss technical government (Nezavisen vesnik)
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev thinks it is too early to talk about who will lead the technical government that will lead the country to early parliamentary elections. The technical government, as he announced, will probably be formed on 3 January 2020. The prime minister says the country is committed to implementing economic reforms, which, as Zaev pointed out, will mean raising standards for citizens. Zaev says he will run again for prime minister. He has even publicly called for a new mandate to continue reforms. Τhe names of those who could replace Zaev in the post of prime minister have begun circulating in the local media. Among them are Interior Minister Oliver Spasovski and SDSM Secretary General Ljupco Nikolovski.
VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski stressed that his party will be part of the technical government and winner of the 12 April elections. “We have a new reality, we will have a technical government and on 12 April we will have a new election winner,” said VMRO-DPMNE leader Hristijan Mickoski.
Ahmeti rules out forming a pre-election coalition with SDSM (Republika)
DUI party leader Ali Ahmeti dismissed the option of forming a pre-election coalition with SDSM. DUI and SDSM formed a coalition following the 2016 general elections, but SDSM is encroaching on the ethnic Albanian votes, which causes friction with DUI, and Ahmeti’s party risks losing its independence if it fields a joint list of candidates, which would merge its votes with those of SDSM and would prevent Ahmeti from showing his strength on the ground.
“I believe that a pre-election coalition would not benefit neither SDSM nor DUI. I don’t think that we will be their saviors and enter into such a coalition. We still have differences in our programs, especially on national lines,” Ahmeti said. SDSM is down in the polls as opposed to VMRO-DPMNE, and it is seen that its only way to make up the difference would be to combine its strength with that of DUI. The two parties had a pre-election coalition for the 2019 presidential elections, and even then, they barely held off VMRO without the help of the opposition ethnic Albanian parties in the second round.
Kotzias: The government is undermining the Prespa Agreement (Nezavisen vesnik)
The government is undermining the Prespa Agreement, and then refers to the negative results of its own undermining as an excuse, former Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias posted on Twitter over the latest developments after the EU Summit in Brussels. “After Macron’s veto, the conclusion of the government’s practices in relation to the Prespa Agreement is that it undermines and then refers to the negative results of its own undermining as an excuse. Therefore, there will be a great deal of responsibility for any unpleasant developments in the region,” Kotzias said. As a guarantee of deteriorating relations with Athens, the German daily newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung assesses the impact of Emmanuel Macron’s strong “no” on the name agreement with Greece. “If VMRO-DPMNE succeeds in assuming power after the April elections, their stance on the name agreement would be a guarantee of deteriorating relations with Greece,” reads the paper, explaining that the Prespa Agreement, although signed, has not yet been fully implemented. As an example, the newspaper cites trademarks that need to be adapted to the new terminology. Specifically, Macedonian wine, which Greek and Macedonian winemakers insist they have the right to sell as “Macedonian”. “It is hard to expect a VMRO-led government to push for such and other details of the deal, which it rejects anyway. That, in turn, will provoke a reaction from Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis… who has already said he would not sign the Prespa Treaty, but will respect it. In any case, a prime minister in Skopje who would consequently use the old state name would trigger a reaction in Athens,” Greek daily Kathimerini notes. Kathimerini, however, assessed the blockade as the start of EU accession talks with Macedonia as a threat to the Prespa agreement’s use of the northern neighbor’s name. The provision contained in the Prespa Agreement that the name of North Macedonia will be an erga omnes – to be used both domestically and internationally – could be undermined if the bid for accession of a neighboring country to the European Union is postponed indefinitely. Practically speaking, the deal stipulates that, in the absence of accession negotiations, the government in Skopje will not be obliged to use its new name of North Macedonia – agreed in the Prespres accord – internally. Therefore, the name change at home has been linked to the opening of the country’s EU accession talks, which were delayed last week by the European Council due to objections raised by France, Denmark and the Netherlands.
In short, Skopje is still obliged to call itself North Macedonia abroad, without, however, making any changes internally. The issue was first raised by former deputy prime minister and constitutional expert Evangelos Venizelos on Sunday, who said that Article 1, Paragraph 10 of the treaty provides that the transitional period for the use of the composite name (North Macedonia) in internal documents issued by the country depends on the opening of the accession negotiations. Therefore, he said, “failure to open accession negotiations entails a delay in the actual internal use of the composite name.” “That is, a delay in the use of the name erga omnes,” Venizelos said.
European Parliament to put a motion for a resolution on opening accession talks with Skopje and Tirana (Nezavisen vesnik)
The European Parliament is set to put a motion for a resolution on opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania on the agenda of the plenary session on Wednesday. The European Parliament has already agreed Skopje and Tirana should open accession negotiations with the EU and a motion for a resolution comes after the EU failed to reach a consensus at the last summit, mainly because of France’s opposition. The resolution is to be on the agenda of the session in Strasbourg and the debate will take place Wednesday afternoon. The European Parliament expresses its deep disappointment at the EU’s failure to agree on opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, since both countries have made considerable efforts to meet the EU’s requirements for opening accession negotiations.
The European Parliament furthermore notes that candidate countries need to be assessed on the basis of their own merits and of objective criteria, rather than on considerations of internal politics in individual Member States, and that it is the speed and quality of reforms that determine the timetable for accession.
Albania will withdraw from the “mini-Schengen” if Kosovo is not involved in that co-operation (Radio Tirana)
“Albania will withdraw from the “mini-Schengen” agreement of the Western Balkans if Kosovo is not involved in that co-operation” Albanian Foreign Minister Gent Cakaj said. Cakaj stressed out that Kosovo represents the red line for Albania in the context of the Western Balkans. “It was a trilateral meeting between Edi Rama, Aleksandar Vucic and Zoran Zaev, after previous meetings. Meetings with Montenegro, Croatia and Kosovo will be soon held and it will not be a tripartite initiative,” says Cakaj, adding that Pristina, Podgorica and Sarajevo are invited to join the initiative. Cakaj stated that the term “mini Schengen” should be reformulated.
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES
Macron says ‘no’, and a government is already falling apart (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24 October 2019)
“Macron says ‘no’, and one government in the Balkans is already falling apart: If Europe needed proof that it still had political influence in the world, it could find it in Skopje right now,” German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) commented, Deutsche Welle reports. After French President Emmanuel Macron blocked the start of EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania at the EU summit last week, it took only 48 hours for the government in N. Macedonia to announce its immediate end. The author of the analysis also referred to the future, and the fate, of the Prespa Agreement. Explaining that ethnic Macedonians are still resenting the name change, FAZ writes that the results of the early elections could affect the Agreement and relations with Greece. In the main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, which lobbies between nationalism, populism and patriotism, you will not find a politician who openly questions the EU as the ultimate goal. (…) The party is strongly opposed to the name change but continues to insist on EU membership. To date there is no unambiguous statement about something different from the head of VMRO, Hristijan Mickoski. But if you look in more detail, things look different, FAZ notes. “A state called North Macedonia does not exist in the political rhetoric of VMRO – or if it exists, then only as an offensive word. Mickoski and his colleagues only talk about Macedonia. Even party posters or banners only recognize the old state name. Antonio Milososki, a leading VMRO politician and Macedonian foreign minister from 2006 to 2011, sums up his party’s stance: ‘Our citizens call their country Macedonia and will continue to call it what they are historically accustomed to and in accordance with their right to freedom of expression. Imposed solutions will not change the will of the people,” FAZ writes.
Testimony by Deputy Assistant Secretary and Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer (Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Cooperation Hearing on Successes and Unfinished Business in the Western Balkans, 23 October 2019)
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Shaheen, and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to appear before you today to discuss the current situation in the Western Balkans and the successes and challenges faced by the countries there on their path towards Euro-Atlantic integration. I would especially like to thank the members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for their leadership, which paved the way for the Senate’s ratification of North Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol. Continued progress on North Macedonia’s NATO accession is critical to demonstrating our ongoing support for the country’s and the region’s Euro-Atlantic integration aspirations.
For the past 30 years, the United States has joined our European Allies and partners in working to fulfill our shared vision of a “strong and free Europe.” Over the last decade, many of our efforts have started to bear fruit. We are now seeing examples of extraordinary progress that bring the region closer to the Euro-Atlantic family.
One has to look no farther than at North Macedonia to see an example of that progress. Within two months of assuming office in June 2017, the government of Prime Minister Zoran Zaev was able to negotiate and sign a Treaty of Friendship, Good-neighborliness, and Cooperation with Bulgaria that recognizes the already strong ties between the two countries and opens the door to even closer cooperation going forward in areas as diverse as infrastructure and culture. This agreement demonstrated that where there is political will, it is possible for differences between neighbors to be resolved peacefully, and it paved the way for the historic June 2018 Prespa Agreement between North Macedonia and Greece. Arguably the most significant purely diplomatic achievement in South-Eastern Europe since the Dayton Peace Accords, the Prespa Agreement resolved the long-standing name dispute between the two countries and paved the way for North Macedonia to become the 30th Ally in NATO and to eventually join the European Union. Under the courageous and forward leaning leadership of Prime Minister Zaev and former Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the Prespa Agreement created a model other leaders in the Western Balkans can follow to break through the nationalistic and cultural barriers that have held the region back for decades.
With its peaceful multi-ethnic coexistence, growing economy, and willingness to work with Kosovo in 2018 to implement the 2015 border demarcation agreement between the two countries, Montenegro has emerged as a leader and a role model for other countries in the region. It has consistently punched above its weight in its commitment to global security, and joining NATO in 2017 was a huge and well-deserved step forward for the country. This new NATO member has proven to be a stalwart ally, putting its troops in harm’s way in a number of NATO-led missions and making steady progress in fulfilling the Wales 2%/20% pledge.
In 2016, Montenegro thwarted a brazen coup attempt aimed at undermining Montenegrin democracy. This coup attempt was only one prong of Russia’s efforts to destabilize the country; Russia also unleashed a pervasive anti-NATO disinformation campaign to thwart Montenegro’s NATO accession and continues to subject the country to broad-scale hybrid attacks on a daily basis. Thanks to our direct cybersecurity cooperation with Montenegro, we have been able to develop patches against the latest Russian malware that now protect billions of devices worldwide. On May 9, a Montenegrin court found two Russian GRU officers guilty of attempted terrorism during the 2016 coup attempt, laying bare Moscow’s blatant attempt to destabilize an independent European country. The open and transparent trial represents an important step forward for the rule of law and is an example of Montenegro’s resiliency.
There are a number of other notable successes throughout the region worth mentioning. Our NATO Ally Albania has made tremendous strides on its reform path, implementing unprecedented judicial reforms to root out endemic corruption. Reforms required the vetting of all 800 judges and prosecutors for unexplained wealth, organized-crime ties, and competence. Only 43% of the 143 jurists vetted so far have passed, confirming the old justice system’s deep corruption and links to organized crime. Albania also established two new judicial oversight bodies, the High Judicial Council and High Prosecutorial Council, to appoint, govern and discipline judges and prosecutors; a key benchmark in justice reform implementation. The country is now on the cusp of establishing a new independent special anticorruption prosecution office and court (SPAK) and National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), whose job it will be to investigate corruption, organized crime, and crimes of high officials. And it has taken steps to crack down on previously untouchable organized crime bosses, as evidenced by the convictions of high profile drug kingpin Klement Balili and notorious crime boss Emiljano Shullazi.
Croatia not only became a NATO Ally in 2009, but also joined the EU in 2013. It will be the next country to hold the Presidency of the Council of the European Union from January through June of 2020, during which time it will host the next major EU summit on the Western Balkans in Zagreb. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the willingness of the three presidents to discuss linking government formation with the submission of the country’s Annual National Program to NATO represents a significant step forward and demonstrates that leaders can make compromises. These are but a handful of achievements the United States has supported over the past decade.
While it is important to articulate the successes of the region, no discussion of the Western Balkans would be complete without addressing the many challenges to the stability of the region and impediments on the path to Euro-Atlantic integration. We are profoundly disappointed with the failure of EU member states to approve opening accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania last week in Brussels. Although we are not members of the EU, we agree with the European Commission’s May 29 assessment that both countries have made significant reform progress, meeting the European Council’s conditions and laying a solid foundation to continue reforms while opening and closing acquis chapters.
The European Council’s inaction last week risks eroding the EU’s credibility not just in the Western Balkans, but throughout Europe and globally. By not explicitly recognizing the achievements made by North Macedonia and Albania and continuing to stall their enlargement progress, the European Council sends a negative signal to other aspirants that the door to Europe
is barred. It also weakens arguments asserting the utility of enacting difficult reforms and making courageous compromises necessary to resolve regional disputes and promote peace and democratic development. Finally, it creates a leadership void that Russia, China, and others are more than happy to fill.
We remind the EU and its member states of their statements in Thessaloniki in 2003 and in Sofia in 2018 that there is a clear “European perspective” for all six Western Balkan aspirants to join the EU, based on firm, established criteria. The EU member states should clearly outline real and tangible reforms North Macedonia and Albania can achieve in the short term that will lead to a more positive outcome before the EU-Western Balkans summit in Zagreb in May 2020.
Secretary Pompeo appointed me to serve as his Special Representative for the Western Balkans to underscore the U.S. commitment to the region and deepen cooperation with our European partners to make clear there is a path to Euro-Atlantic integration that is achievable, even if it is difficult. I will focus my efforts on anchoring the region to the West, working with governments to advance reforms and strengthen them against outside malign influences, as well as helping them overcome issues that hold them back from their European and Euro-Atlantic aspirations.
One of our top priorities that has a significant impact on the entire region and trans-Atlantic security, is the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo. With negotiations at a standstill, both countries risk squandering the best chance in a generation to normalize relations and move towards a more secure and prosperous future. Because of the strategic importance of this issue and the historic and limited window of opportunity for Serbia and Kosovo to reach a comprehensive agreement, President Trump has also appointed U.S. Ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell as the Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations. Together, Ambassador Grenell and I will work towards helping the parties reach a comprehensive agreement on normalization. With enhanced political engagement as well as the pursuit of business and commercial incentives, we will endeavor to help the parties themselves find a locally-owned agreement that is durable, implementable, and increases regional stability. By reaching such an agreement, the parties can unlock the inherent untapped economic potential that comes with peace and integration. It is our hope this more robust approach that highlights the economic benefits of progress will help encourage Belgrade and Pristina to find a political settlement.
Our message to leaders in both Belgrade and Pristina is clear: you have an opportunity to refocus on your strategic interest by removing barriers to negotiations, refraining from engaging in provocative actions, and returning to the negotiating table with a spirit of flexibility and readiness to compromise. We expect that the new government in Kosovo will demonstrate its commitment to these shared goals by suspending the tariffs imposed on Serbian and Bosnian imports that have damaged Kosovo’s international standing. The next government should also make a clear and compelling case to the citizens of Kosovo about the importance of returning to the Dialogue negotiations.
Serbia, in turn, must cease its campaign to delegitimize Kosovo in the international community. Through its campaign to incentivize countries to withdraw recognition of Kosovo and block its membership in international organizations such as INTERPOL, Belgrade has undermined
international law enforcement cooperation and soured the atmosphere for compromise. This impedes progress toward an agreement that Serbia needs to reach its own strategic goal of integration with Europe. We are convinced that President Vucic is ready to negotiate an agreement. Once Serbia and Kosovo take these steps, we stand ready to work with him to explore options that will help him build support among the Serbian people for normalization of relations with Kosovo.
Turning to Bosnia and Herzegovina, we are supporting efforts to reach agreement or a compromise that allows for government formation at all levels as well as submission of Bosnia’s ANP to NATO. We continue to find leadership at both the entity and state levels to be disappointing, parochial, nationalistic, and risk-averse, doing little to help ordinary citizens. As a new generation of political leaders emerge at the cantonal and municipal levels, particularly in the Sarajevo Canton, there is reason to be hopeful. We continue to be optimistic that Bosnia and Herzegovina can succeed, and as a guarantor of the Dayton Peace Accords, we remain committed to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country.
While Montenegro is the front runner within the region to join the EU, it must accelerate efforts to implement necessary reforms, such as strengthening the rule of law and tackling organized crime and corruption. We are concerned that Montenegro has backslid on media freedom in light of government interference in the public broadcaster’s management and outstanding unsolved cases of attacks on journalists. We encourage the government to do more to demonstrate that Montenegro values and protects journalists, including refraining from incendiary language that encourages hostility towards journalists and imposing meaningful sentences for those who commit attacks on journalist and media property.
The peoples of the Western Balkans and their governments have made clear what they want—a more secure, prosperous, and democratic future for themselves and the entire the region. The United States fully supports these efforts—something we cannot say of all the external actors that increasingly see the region as ripe for engagement and interference. Some of these actors have very different values and very different visions for the future of the region. Russia rejects the post-Cold War settlement in Europe and is trying to push back on it with a variety of tools, overt and covert, in order to forestall the region’s Euro-Atlantic integration. It seeks to incite divisions and chaos. Chinese authorities have been insinuating themselves in the region through their “17+1” and “Belt and Road” initiatives, as well as their investment in strategic industries and information and physical infrastructure, creating new political and economic vulnerabilities.
Turkish engagement and influence is present across the Western Balkans – primarily focused in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Albania and North Macedonia – and appears to be increasing in scale and scope in Montenegro as well. Under President Erdogan, Turkey has invested heavily in the region in an effort to expand its political, cultural and economic foothold. It has provided development aid, invested in major infrastructure projects, and restored mosques. We welcome Turkey’s engagement when it serves a constructive role in helping the countries of the Western Balkans achieve their stated goal of Euro-Atlantic integration. Also, given Turkey’s historical role in the region and deepening economic ties, Turkey’s support of the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue and Prespa Agreement is particularly important.
To support the countries of the Western Balkans own stated goals, we need to increase our own engagement and investment in the region and re-energize partnerships with these important partners. The countries of the Western Balkans need to know what they will get—and what they stand to lose—from the “deals” Moscow and Beijing peddle. But messaging is not enough; we need to increase American private sector presence and investment in the region. It is indisputable that congressional support has been instrumental in our successful partnership with the people and the governments of the region. Recent visits from congressional delegations to Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia have helped to reinforce our shared values and demonstrate our strong support for reforms. We hope to see additional visits from Congress in the future and ask for your help in supporting U.S. businesses as they look for opportunities in the region.
Mr. Chairman, Ranking Member Shaheen, and distinguished members of this Subcommittee, thank you, again, for the opportunity to meet with you today to discuss our relationship with the Western Balkans and I look forward to our continued cooperation in the region.
I look forward to your questions.
