LOCAL PRESS
Vucic from Brussels: What happened was not fair (B92, RTS)
President of Serbia made address from Brussels, together with Prime Ministers Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovacevski, where the EU-Western Balkans Summit is being held. “Today, Serbia gave great support to the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. Again, nothing happened. This is necessary because both countries did everything. I want to thank everyone who supported our country. More than 20 leaders listened to us for several hours and I am also grateful to Macron for the initiative for a new political community. That is the only way for us to be heard, for our European colleagues to hear us. I am also grateful to Rama and Kovacevski for being fair to Serbia, they showed respect”, said Aleksandar Vucic.
Vucic was quoted as saying: “There were no concrete results for the Western Balkans, but it was a good discussion. If you ask me if North Macedonia and Albania got a date, they did not. Has Pristina received visa liberalization? It did not. Has Bosnia been granted candidate status? It was not. And many member states have criticized us for the Russian-Ukrainian issue and sanctions and that is it”. Vucic also pointed out that there were 2,629 articles about Serbia in European media, since Russia attacked Ukraine, in which it was said that Serbia is endangering the Western Balkans by deploying its troops, that it endangers sovereignty of B&H and, as Vucic said, so-called Kosovo, and then nothing happened. Rama pointed out that Serbia is in a different position and tried to explain to European officials that it is a country in which popularity of Russian President Vladimir Putin is 80 percent, which means that Serbia is not in a situation to be able to do more. He added that he is obliged to implement the recommendations of the National Security Council and protect the interests of our people.
After the address of the President of Serbia, questions from journalists followed.
Were there any more concrete decisions for the Western Balkans and what is the main message from Brussels for today?
“Everything I said here, I said openly and publicly in the presence of European Union officials, what was important to us. There were no concrete results, but it was a good discussion, and I would never underestimate it. If you ask me if North Macedonia or Albania got a date, they didn’t, and B&H didn’t get a date. Many member states criticized us because of the problem of the war in Ukraine and Russian intervention. Politics is not always about concrete results,” Vucic replied.
“I’m not frustrated but I’m sorry for the European Union, so I’m frustrated for them. It’s no secret that I care more about the European Union than Aleksandar. When we see that the EU is not able to free two hostage countries from Bulgaria, then this was a historic day, but in a negative sense. I think we will arrive in Europe before the next century, but at the latest. Until then, we will continue with the reforms and if nothing happens, it will be their fault, not ours. We want our citizens to have standard as in the European Union. I did not expect anything else”, Rama added.
“I think we will be able to solve difficulties together, such as the one imposed on North Macedonia. We wanted to take care of our region on our own, it was an idea. Someone said it was Putin’s idea, and I never talked to him about it. Why would it be necessary? Nobody needed it except us. Finally, I want to thank my European colleagues for their patience. I know today is a great day for them. I understand that Dimitar and Edi are more frustrated than I am, but I think that by September things can turn for the better. We will implement reforms during that time in the field of law and other areas,” Vucic added.
“It is not a problem for Kosovo to come, but a problem for the Serbian President to accept it. The final peace will come through the Open Balkans initiative,” Rama said.
Is it time to work on regional cooperation in a more active way and to include Montenegro in the initiative?
“We have called on everyone else to join the initiative and everything we do, we do for the benefit of our citizens. That is 70 percent of the citizens of the Western Balkans. Of course, we were under pressure from powerful countries and their leaders, but we are getting stronger because we believe in initiative and in ourselves, so we have more self-confidence and faith in ourselves and we know we have to maintain peace and stability in the region. That’s all we need. Just look at one day of the war in Ukraine. Do you want to see that? Do not underestimate our initiative. It took us 70 years to meet again, leaders of this type last met in 1946. Now Rama and I are able to cooperate and talk and that is good,” Vucic said.
“We are together in this, and I believe that my colleagues will agree. It was a less unpleasant experience for me than for the two of them today, but I wanted to show our support for Albania and North Macedonia, and they supported us. They do it well. Serbia has no formal obligation to support these two countries, but it has become natural for us. We will see in the winter who will be the first to support your countries and we will always expect support from neighboring countries,” Vucic said.
“We thought about not coming because we knew what would happen today. We came to show respect to all the leaders who supported us,” Rama explained.
Vucic at the Summit: Strong pressure over Russia and Ukraine (N1, Beta)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday following the European Union – Western Balkans Summit that pressure was exerted on him over Russia’s aggression on Ukraine. As many as 2,629 articles saying that Serbia is endangering the whole of the Western Balkans and jeopardizing the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and of “so-called Kosovo” have been published in European media since the beginning of Russia’s attack on Ukraine, said Vucic. He asked if any apologies were offered for the “fabrications” that the media presented to citizens of European countries and said that his only obligation was to act in line with Serbia’s interests. “I am not here to justify our position”, the Serbian President said.
Vucic and Prime Ministers Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovacevski of Albania and North Macedonia attended Thursday the EU – Western Balkans Summit in Brussels, following which they held a joint media conference.
Vucic said Serbia supports French President Emmanuel Macron’s idea of a European political community, adding: “This is the only way for our voice to be heard”. He said he promised his European colleagues that Serbia will do all it can until December and the next summit. “I won’t say that we will celebrate, but I think that we will be in a better mood in December than we are today”, Vucic said.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said he was dissatisfied with EU’s attitude towards the region’s European integration and that the EU was tired of the enlargement process. He told the media conference that North Macedonia has been waiting 17 years and Albania eight for EU membership talks to start. From a joint vision and community, the EU has become an instrument for individual members to block things, said Rama and asked EU leaders “not to kill” the Albanians’ faith in their European future. Rama expressed regret that the EU has still not liberalized the visa regime for Kosovo citizens and repeatedly asked the EU to show understanding for Serbia and to refrain from asking Belgrade to join in on all the sanctions imposed on Russia. The reality in Serbia is “completely different” he said, adding that he “tried to explain” to the European leaders that 80 per cent of Serbian citizens support the Russian President.
Prime Minister Kovacevski told the media conference that, in the context of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine, EU’s enlargement to the Western Balkans should be viewed as investing in EU security. Kovacevski said that North Macedonia has been dissatisfied with the dynamics of the accession process since the launch of negotiations. He said his country has been a candidate for almost 18 years and described the situation with the veto as “a blow to EU’s credibility”. Bulgaria invoked its veto power on negotiations with candidates in 2020 to block North Macedonia’s candidacy.
Vucic: We will fight for the European future, respecting ourselves (B92)
President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, posted a new video on Instagram. He published a video summarizing details from yesterday’s visit to Brussels. “I believe in the EU, the future of Serbia and the region. Together, we will fight with our friends from the region for a European future, respecting ourselves and believing that together we can do a lot,” Serbian President said in a video message. Just to recall, Aleksandar Vucic was in Brussels yesterday, where he participated in the EU-Western Balkans Summit. He made an address, together with Prime Ministers Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovacevski, from Brussels, where the EU-Western Balkans Summit was held.
“Serbia today gave great support to the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. Again, nothing happened. This is necessary because both countries did everything. I want to express gratitude to everyone who supported our country. More than 20 leaders listened to us for several hours and I am also grateful to Macron for the initiative for a new political community. That is the only way for us to be heard, for our European colleagues to hear us. I am also grateful to Rama and Kovacevski because they were fair to Serbia, they showed respect”, Aleksandar Vucic concluded.
EU: The investment plan for the Western Balkans is worth 30 billion euros (RTS)
Leaders of the European Union and the Western Balkans held a four-hour discussion in Brussels on the challenges of the current geostrategic situation and ways to further strengthen EU-Western Balkans relations, it was announced in the European Council and stated that the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans will provide up to 30 billion euros in investments to help the region.
After the press conference of European Council President Charles Michel, European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen and French President Emanuel Macron, which was supposed to be dedicated to the Western Balkans, was canceled, a senior EU official said the meeting “clearly and unequivocally reiterated the European perspective of the Western Balkans and the region’s future in the European Union”. He told reporters in Brussels of the European Council’s position that “the war in Ukraine has put EU enlargement in focus” and explained that it means progress in the accession process through reforms, strengthening integration, but also resolving bilateral and regional disputes such as the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the internal political crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). “It also means that accession negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania should begin without delay, which is an absolute priority, as well as resolving bilateral issues between Bulgaria and Northern Macedonia,” the EU official added.
The EU official added that at the meeting in Brussels, the leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans discussed the initiative of forming a European political community as a political platform on which the participants could maintain exchange and coordination across the European continent. The EU will continue to support the region, including helping it the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine, for example by linking them to EU food and energy security initiatives, supporting them in strengthening cyber security, tackling hybrid threats and disinformation”, the European Council said. It is added that the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans will provide up to 30 billion euros in investments to help the region in economic recovery and rapprochement with the EU, as well as in the implementation of projects that improve the region’s connectivity and resilience. The high EU official concludes that the leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans, at the meeting in Brussels, expressed their support for the people of Ukraine and agreed to continue with regular meetings and engagement.
EU leaders stressed the importance of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina
At the summit in Brussels, the EU 27 leaders adopted conclusions on the Western Balkans, calling for “acceleration of the accession process”, “improvement of gradual integration” of the EU and the region, but also emphasizing the importance of progress in normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina. The conclusions adopted on the first day of the Brussels summit say the European Council “reaffirms the urgency of making tangible progress in resolving open bilateral and regional disputes” in the Western Balkans, among other things, through the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, in order to “normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo.”
The text of the conclusions reiterates “unequivocal EU support for the Western Balkans membership perspective”, but also reminds of the importance of reforms in the Western Balkans, primarily in the area of rule of law, especially those related to the independence and functioning of the judiciary and the fight against corruption. Partners from the region are also called upon to guarantee “the rights and equal treatment of persons belonging to minorities”. The European Council calls for “a speedy resolution of the remaining outstanding issues” in talks between northern Macedonia and Bulgaria, with a view to launching accession talks without further delay. It also emphasizes the “readiness of the European Council to approve the status of a candidate country for B&H” and to this end, calls on the European Commission to present a report on the implementation of the 14 key priorities set for that country. B&H is called upon to implement the obligations from the political agreement reached on June 12, 2022 in Brussels, which would “enable the country to progress on the European path”.
After the adopted conclusions on the Western Balkans and approved candidate statuses for Ukraine and Moldova, EU leaders continued with their dinner in Brussels, at which they discuss further support for Ukraine in the war with Russia, relations with Turkey, and exchange views on the proposal of French President Emanuel Macron, on the formation of the European political community. Friday, the second day of the EU summit, will traditionally be dedicated to talks on the Eurozone, and EU leaders will be joined in Brussels by European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde and Eurogroup President Pascal Donahue.
Vucic meets Macron, says Macron’s idea on formation of European geopolitical community should be accepted (Vecernje Novosti)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday. Following the meeting, Vucic said that he had an hour-long conversation with Macron and added that he believes that the Western Balkans has the European future, but the EU was not fair towards Albania and North Macedonia on Thursday. Vucic also said that, during the EU-Western Balkans Summit but also during his meeting with Macron, Macron’s idea on formation of the European geopolitical community was discussed. Vucic added that Macron’s idea should be accepted because “it would be a good way to make sure our voice is heard”. The daily reminded that Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama too supports Macron’s idea even if, as he said, it would be “a substitute for the membership in the EU”. However, Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitri Kovacevski has a different stance as he said that Macron’s idea is unacceptable.
Vucic meets Nehammer, Nehammer says there must be no double criteria in enlargement process (Politika)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met with Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer in Brussels on Thursday. “We took a chance following the EU-Western Balkans Summit to discuss our bilateral relations, geopolitical situation and European path of Serbia, which Austria fully supports”, Vucic wrote on Instagram profile ‘buducnostsrbijeav’. Nehammer stated before the EU-Western Balkans Summit that Austria supports progress of the region in the accession process, and he added that there must be no double criteria in this process. “Austria has a special responsibility for the Western Balkans. Our safety and stability are connected with the Western Balkans. Austria also has strong economic ties with the Western Balkans, which secures tens of thousands of jobs in Austria”, Nehammer stated.
Vucic says Croatian Prime Minister and Croatian President are not in charge of carrying out policies of Serbia (Vecernje Novosti)
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic replied to questions of Croatian journalists in Brussels on Thursday and commented on statements of Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic and Croatian President Zoran Milanovic that Serbia can no longer sit on two chairs. Vucic replied by saying that Serbia is sitting on its own chair and added that neither the Croatian Prime Minister nor Croatian President are in charge of carrying out policies of Serbia. “However, I congratulate them for having a great desire to carry out policies of Serbia. This only indicates the importance of Serbia and I wish them all the best”, Vucic said.
EU Hypocritical Towards Western Balkans (VIP)
Enlargement of the European Union (EU) has become a duplicitous task as many members of the EU want to tie the Western Balkans, Ukraine and Moldova to their economy and values but, at the same time, high-ranking diplomats say the EU in its current form will not be able to admit new members, Brussels-based portal Politiko reports. The portal states that the present situation isn’t beneficial to anyone because it is said that the EU doors are opened, but they aren’t. According to the portal, EU diplomats warn that the EU would become even more stretched out with new members, because even now, some members have different views on liberal values, the role of independent judiciary and media freedom, as well as about the prevalence of EU legislation. These examples, the portal claims, show that the EU has failed to overcome division and only manages to “cover them up with money”.
Tight relations with Russia not helping Serbia on road to EU membership (Beta)
Tight relations with Russia are not helping Serbia’s bid to gain membership in the EU, while Belgrade’s more than dual stance toward Moscow is inevitably cooling Europeans’ sentiments, the French Les Echos newspaper said on June 23. The French business journal cited former European Commission director for enlargement Pierre Mirel who said that “Serbia has intensely grown closer to Moscow by buying armaments and signing a free trade treaty.” The Paris newspaper added that “President Aleksandar Vucic has refused to follow Europeans where sanctions against Russia are concerned and felt that renewing an agreement on gas shipments from Moscow at a time when the EU is seeking to lower its dependence on gas shipments from Russia was appropriate.” “This more than dual stance toward Moscow is inevitably cooling Europeans’ sentiments, while his actions toward the media and violation of the rule of law are preventing the country from progressing” toward the EU, Mirel said. He also added that “Serbia knows that it will not be able to wrap up negotiations on membership without a bilateral agreement with Kosovo.” As for EU enlargement to the Western Balkans, Les Echos said that, “The slowness of the process of expansion has so far caused no true concern, especially in the west of Europe” because the “perspective of a motley and small group of extremely poor countries, eaten away by corruption and frequently with internal, ethnic or religious conflicts, joining the EU is not a reason for enthusiasm, especially in France.”
Borrell: EU not where it should be with western Balkans (Beta)
The European Union’s high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, Josep Borrell, said on June 23 that he was disappointed with the absence of progress in the process of European integration of North Macedonia and Albania, and that more should be done to integrate the Western Balkans into the EU faster. “We are not where we should be with the Western Balkans,” Borrell said at the meeting of leaders of the EU and the Western Balkans in Brussels. Borrell said that “there is still hope” and that he did not know what the Bulgarian parliament could do in the coming hours, but that “things are not going well.” This is yet more proof that unanimity in decision making is a great problem, said the high representative and pointed out that the EU must think about how it made decisions “because one country should not be able to block the entire process for months.” Borrell stated that the good news was that an agreement on the implementation of energy arrangements had been reached in the dialogue of Serbia and Kosovo. “That is an important step forward,” Borrell said, adding that a high-level meeting could be held by the end of the month.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
EU-Western Balkans summit fails to bring any decision for region, no consent within EU to grant status of EU candidate to B&H (AJB)
Before the summit of the EU member states which has begun in Brussels on Thursday, there was also the EU-Western Balkans summit. On this occasion, Slovenian officials underlined that they will not give up on the proposal to grant Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) the status of the EU candidate without any delays. The reporter noted that they learnt that there is no consent within the EU to grant B&H the status of the EU candidate or visa-free regime for Kosovo. Meanwhile, dates for the beginning of accession negotiations for the North Macedonia and Albania were not mentioned. The reporter noted that thus, the majority of the countries from the region left the summit disappointed. The summit ended without an official statement and a press conference that was supposed to be held but it was cancelled.
The European Council stated that it is ready to grant B&H the EU candidate status after it implements a significant number of reforms. The European Council called on the European Commission to report to it without delay on the implementation of the 14 key priorities set out in its Opinion. The European Council welcomed the political agreement reached by the B&H leaders in Brussels on June 12, calling on all political leaders in B&H to swiftly implement the obligations set out in this agreement and urgently finalize constitutional and electoral reform, which will enable B&H to make decisive progress on the European path, in line with the opinion of the European Commission. “As far as B&H is concerned, there was a real desire at the table to bring new energy to the process with B&H. A proposal was made relatively quickly that the European Commission could prepare a report on the various circumstances so that the Council could return to the issue of B&H,” European Council President Charles Michel said.
Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer said that the discussion was very intensive because it was necessary to look at the issue from the perspective of the fate of B&H. “The Western Balkans still needs our support. It was important for Austria that if we now give the candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and Georgia a European perspective, then it is necessary to offer a perspective for B&H as well. The Commission was asked to speed up the process with the goal of helping B&H on the path to candidate status. That will yield result already this year,” Nehammer underlined.
Dzaferovic addresses media after EU-Western Balkans Summit: Important thing is that European perspective of Western Balkan countries was reaffirmed and that it is in no way disputable (N1)
At the beginning of the summit in Brussels on Thursday, it seems that the Western Balkans countries will not receive anything at this moment. The final decision regarding Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and its candidate status will be made and revealed by the European Council on Friday, but all things point that this country will not receive its candidate status but a message that all necessary reforms must be implemented. Since early Thursday morning, Chairman of the B&H Presidency Sefik Dzaferovic tried, once more, to lobby for the decision on granting B&H its candidate status. He attended a series of meetings on the sidelines of the summit.
Dzaferovic told the reporters that the important thing is that the European perspective of these countries was reaffirmed, and that it is in no way disputable. He adds that this was confirmed by all 27 Member States. The disputable thing, however, are the models. According to Dzaferovic, different countries in the EU support different models for accession of the Western Balkans countries. He did not wish to reveal which countries are in favor, and which are against further enlargement of the Union.
N1 learns from EU diplomatic circles that Germany, the Netherlands and France were against the accelerated accession of the Western Balkans countries. Speaking about necessary reforms, Dzaferovic said the political forces in the B&H Parliament are the most to blame for B&H not making progress on its EU path. He reminds that the lawmakers did not adopt the necessary laws, i.e. reforms stated in the 14 key priorities of the European Commission’s (EC) Opinion. Speaking to reporters in Brussels, Dzaferovic emphasized that B&H has strong support of many EU countries on its path, and that these countries believe B&H should receive its candidate status without any conditions. Other countries, he says, believe B&H should first implement the reforms and then be awarded the candidate status. Dzaferovic assessed that the summit was a very important event, reminding that there are countries that support unconditional EU candidate status for B&H but there are also countries that say B&H first need to meet the necessary conditions. He stressed that he knows for sure that connection between the EU administration and B&H will be much stronger in the future, until B&H becomes the EU member state.
Prior to Summit Dzaferovic asks Michel to grant B&H the EU candidate status (O kanal)
A two-day summit of EU leaders kicked off in Brussels on Thursday. Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Chairman Sefik Dzaferovic asked European Council President Charles Michel to grant B&H the EU candidate status. However, as O Kanal noted, there was an unexpected turn of events in Brussels. Namely, Germany, Netherlands and France allegedly voiced their opposition to granting B&H the EU candidate status. Dzaferovic told the media in Brussels that he does not know whether B&H will be granted EU candidate status. “It is hard to say at the moment what decision they will make. But what I can certainly say is that in the future there will be a much closer relationship between the countries of the Western Balkans, including B&H, with the EU administration,” Dzaferovic said.
Michel said that this is a decisive moment for the EU. “I am convinced that today (Thursday) we will give the status of the candidate to Ukraine and Moldova and that we will express a clear and strong European perspective for Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The EU will do everything in its power to make sure efforts regarding B&H have a positive effect,” Michel told the media in Brussels. Michel also said that the EU wants to put an offer on the table so that it can start the negotiation process with Albania and North Macedonia as soon as possible. “These are priorities for us, and we will do everything in our power to achieve them. We also want to ensure that all efforts that are taking place on the issue of B&H have a positive impact on merging and reducing tensions in the country, to make sure that institutions within the country are doing their job,” Michel said.
Brussels: EU officials, Western Balkan leaders discuss relations btw Serbia and Kosovo, start of EU accession negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia, situation in B&H; B&H Presidency Chairman Dzaferovic says pro-Russian forces do not allow meeting EC’s conditions (Hayat)
The EU officials met with leaders of the Western Balkan countries in Brussels on Thursday morning. They discussed the relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the beginning of the EU accession negotiations for Albania and North Macedonia and the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H), among other topics. Slovenia and Austria were the most supportive of the initiative to grant B&H the candidate status while Hungary, Croatia and Poland also expressed their support, but Germany, the Netherlands and France were against it. EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell stated that the Western Balkans is not where it should be and that he is rather disappointed over the current situation, adding that he is especially concerned over Bulgaria’s stance. He stressed that this once again shows that one-sidedness in the decision-making is a big problem.
B&H Presidency Chairman Sefik Dzaferovic stated that he advocated for B&H to be granted the EU candidate status together with Ukraine and Moldova, explaining that what Ukraine faces today is the same thing that B&H faced in the 1990s but no one had in mind geopolitical and geostrategic reasons for B&H – “which is not fair”. He stressed that it is true that B&H has not met all the conditions set by the EC for the EU candidate status, but that it is also true that pro-Russian forces do not allow for these conditions to be met. Dzaferovic added that B&H citizens should not be punished for that. He said that the main conclusion after the summit is that connection between the EU and the Western Balkan countries aspiring to join the EU will be much stronger in the future, until these countries become the EU member states. He noted that the EU administration will be more committed to the Western Balkan countries and put higher focus on meeting the conditions for the EU membership.
The leaders of other Western Balkan countries had the same expectations regarding their countries’ EU path. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani assessed that there is no damage for the Western Balkans if Ukraine and Moldova move forwards on the EU path, but by opening the EU doors to these countries means that the EU conveys a strong message that this region is geostrategic importance – which is the same the Western Balkan countries need.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic stated that some of the EU countries wanted to block the EU accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania and this was one of the topics at the summit. “We are here to talk about our European future. We believe that some good conclusions for the Western Balkans will be passed”, Vucic stressed.
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama said that “it is disgrace that Bulgaria as the NATO member state kidnaps” Albania and North Macedonia as the two other NATO member states in the middle of the war in European backyard, while other 26 member states are “frightened and powerless”.
Dodik: B&H is unwanted due to international interventionism from within and now, it is unwanted from outside until everyone realizes it does not exist (ATV)
Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik stated on the Twitter on Thursday that undermining of procedures stipulated in laws and the Constitution devastated B&H and those who encouraged some and disputed others are nowadays “washing their hands out of it”. Dodik said that B&H is unwanted from within due to international interventionism and now, it is clear that B&H is also unwanted on the outside arguing that the unwanted B&H will keep on dragging along until once everyone realizes that it does not exist. Dodik stated that he is not surprised B&H did not get the status of the EU candidate. “Nothing new from the West. Part of European leaders see B&H as a colony and not as a partner and this is why we did not get status of a candidate. Republika Srpska is not and will not be a colony. We know where we are and we know our path”, said Dodik.
Croat Member of B&H Presidency Komsic: SNSD and HDZ B&H are stopping B&H from getting the candidacy status (FTV)
Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency members commented on the talks held in Brussels on Thursday. B&H Presidency member Zeljko Komsic stated that as long as HDZ B&H and SNSD block reforms with impunity, B&H will never meet the conditions for candidate status and accession to the EU. “I believe that B&H will never meet the conditions for candidate status or membership in the EU, as long as HDZ B&H and SNDS are allowed blockades with impunity in the adoption of reform laws, because such action takes place without sanctions. I am convinced that the Bosnian political factor, regardless of whether it is state or cantonal authorities, ruling structures or opposition, would meet all the conditions in a month, because there is a broad consensus among the Bosnian political factor on this issue. I am equally convinced that in fulfilling the conditions, HDZ B&H and SNSD would not have to make any contribution, except to not block the adoption of the laws,” Komsic was quoted as saying.
Komsic also stated that HDZ B&H and SNSD agreed to block the fulfillment of 14 priorities from the opinion of the European Commission because the standards and values that are the content of the opinion do not suit them at all. He added that B&H will never meet the conditions for either candidate status or EU membership, as long as HDZ B&H and SNSD allow blockades during the adoption of European laws.
Zvizdic: SNSD and HDZ B&H, which refused to adopt three European laws, are main culprits because of whom B&H will not or has not yet received candidate status (O kanal)
Deputy Speaker of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Representatives (HoR) Denis Zvizdic spoke of B&H’s European path, the enlargement process and the upcoming elections in B&H.
Asked whether countries that are lobbying for B&H can in a way force Brussels to grant B&H conditional EU candidate status, Zvizdic said that everyone hopes that in the end B&H will get candidate status or at least conditional candidate status. “But, having in mind the opposition of large, and perhaps the most important countries of the EU, such as Germany and France, I cannot be a great optimist. I would view that issue from two aspects. From a moral point of view, B&H has long deserved to receive candidate status because B&H has gone through everything that Ukraine is now going through and it is precisely because of that, with the explanation that it is defending European values, that Ukraine has received candidate status. Civilization and European values were also defended in B&H in the 1990s when there was a revival of fascist ideas and from that point of view, Europe had to grant candidate status to B&H. But, on the other hand, in the procedural sense, we must not constantly look for a culprit in someone else, look for a culprit in EU member states because we have simply not done our homework. That there was a political will within the ruling coalition to pass laws which were in a way, conditionally speaking, agreed with the representatives of the EU, and which were the condition for candidate status, B&H would get candidate status at this summit. To be completely precise, the main culprits, the key culprits because of whom B&H will not or has not yet received candidate status are SNSD and HDZ B&H, which refused to adopt three European laws in the House of Peoples (HoP), the Law on Public Procurement, the Law on Conflict of Interest and amendments to the Law on the B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC). If it had been done on time, we would certainly have received candidate status today,” Zvizdic underlined. He pointed out that the B&H authorities must continue to work on the realization of the activities which are related to B&H’s key foreign policy priority – the EU and NATO integration. “We should stop looking for a culprit outside the B&H institutions whose task is to do that and we need to adopt the laws which accelerate our path towards the EU integration as soon as possible,” Zvizdic emphasized.
Asked whether he was a bit surprised to hear that Germany and the Netherlands are against granting B&H EU candidate status, Zvizdic said that it is hard to be surprised bearing in mind the fact that B&H should have met the conditions for candidate status back in 2020. He emphasized that B&H needed to resolve the issue of seven or eight laws, measures and strategies from the European Commission’s Opinion, among which the three abovementioned laws were key, in order to get candidate status. “Due to lack of political will and due to anti-European orientation of both SNSD and HDZ B&H, the domestic authorities failed to do that and that is why we are waiting in suspense the decision on whether B&H will receive candidate status,” Zvizdic said.
Commenting on the idea of launching a European geopolitical community, on one hand, and the ‘Open Balkans’ initiative, on the other hand, Zvizdic said that the issue of European geopolitical community has not been fully clarified. “We do not know exactly all the details of that project… We must know exactly the intentions of such a project and whether it can affect the European integration of the Western Balkan countries in any way and ultimately our full membership in the EU. Therefore, we must know what it is about,” Zvizdic said. As far as the ‘Open Balkans’ is concerned, Zvizdic stated that this is a project which did not give a clear perspective to countries that are supposed to join it. “The main question is why ‘Open Balkans’ if we have CEFTA, we have the Berlin Process, we have the Western Balkans Common Regional Market. Everything that is being promised in ‘Open Balkans’ already exists in CEFTA within the six protocols,” Zvizdic underlined, adding that the ‘Open Balkans’ does not offer anything new. “But, of course, it seems to me that there are certain political motives behind it because to speak of erasing borders between countries that have not recognized each other’s internationally recognized borders, namely Serbia does not want to sign an agreement with B&H recognizing its internationally recognized border, which in a way suggests that certain territorial pretensions still exist,” Zvizdic pointed out.
Asked whether one can expect changes in B&H after the general elections, Zvizdic said that changes are inevitable. “They are imperative if we want to secure a normal future primarily for young people who are leaving B&H in huge numbers. In my opinion, that is the largest macroeconomic and political problem of BiH – the departure of young people. Changes are necessary because the current coalition, and dominantly SNSD, has created the biggest security crisis in B&H in the post-war period which in the political sense led to a complete blockade of work of state institutions and inability to adopt essential strategies and laws that would allow us internal reintegration and external integration,” Zvizdic said. He stressed that the ruling coalition at the B&H level brought the country into a phase of economic stagnation. “The Council of Ministers (CoM) is the only government in the world that has not adopted a single measure of assistance to citizens or businessmen in connection with COVID. We have the lowest level of foreign direct investment, while the external debt of B&H has increased. We have more than 3,500 parafiscal charges and their number is increasing… New jobs are not being created. And ultimately, within international relations, B&H has started to lose its reputation,” Zvizdic underlined.
OHR sends diplomatic note to Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo over Milanovic’s statements about HR Schmidt (BHT1)
The Office of the High Representative (OHR) has sent a diplomatic note to the Croatian Embassy in Sarajevo over Croatian President Zoran Milanovic’s statements about High Representative (HR) Christian Schmidt. Milanovic stated several times that Schmidt is an illegal High Representative because his mandate was not confirmed by the UN Security Council (UN SC). In the protest note, Schmidt refers to Milanovic and reminds that Croatia is a signatory to the Dayton Agreement and Annex 10, i.e. the Agreement on Civilian Implementation of the Peace Settlement, which also defines the actions of the High Representative, according to Jutarnji list newspaper. Schmidt stated in the diplomatic note that the OHR kindly asks Croatian authorities to refrain from making unfounded accusations about the appointment and status of the High Representative. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic confirmed that the OHR has sent the diplomatic note, stressing that this is serious damage that is taking on frightening proportions.
Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency Milorad Dodik stated on Twitter on Thursday that Croatian President Zoran Milanovic is absolutely right when he disputes legitimacy of Christian Schmidt, who illegally came to B&H and presents himself as the HR. Dodik pointed out that Croatia is guarantor of the Dayton Agreement and thus, the Annex 10 that stipulates appointment of the HR. Dodik said: “What kind of arrogance this is – so that a person appointed without legitimacy calls for responsibility of head of state, guarantor of the agreement, that introduced the institution of the HR in B&H? Zoran Milanovic was legally elected Croatian President and Schmidt cannot think that he will shut down with letters. There are too many witnesses of his illegal arrival for him to send so many letters. What really matters in this case is that Christian Schmidt heard of the Annex 10 of the Dayton Agreement.”
Croatia
EU leaders grant Ukraine candidate status while Balkan countries voice their frustration (HRT1)
Earlier in the day a summit of EU and Western Balkan leaders was held on the opening of negotiations with candidate countries Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. However, the meeting failed to produce results, as EU member state Bulgaria continues to block North Macedonia’s accession talks over a dispute regarding history and language.
All 27 EU leaders, including Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, opened a two-day meeting of the European Council in Brussels on Thursday, where they granted Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova EU candidate status. However, a third bid for candidate status submitted by Georgia was left in the cold. The decision followed a decision from European Parliament, in which MEPs offered broad support for Ukraine.
As to when the first chapters of the accession negotiations will be opened with either country however, remains to be seen. Ukraine consistently ranks among the most corrupt countries in the world, and prior to the Russian incursion into Ukraine, few saw Kiev as a serious candidate for membership. Even if it does manage the herculean task of implement reforms in the areas of the rule of law and corruption, it will still require a unanimous decision from Heads of State and Government of all 27 EU member states for Kiev’s EU ambitions to get any real traction.
The decision was also seen as a slap in the face to the countries of the Western Balkans (Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia), which have been awaiting the start of their accession negotiations for almost two decades now. EU member state Bulgaria continues to block North Macedonia, demanding that the Macedonians recognize their language as a simple dialect of Bulgarian. This has blocked Albania as well, as the EU linked the two countries progress from the outset. Also holding the Western Balkans back is Serbia’s commitment to maintaining its traditional ties with Russia.
The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani: “Those who are truly determined to walk on the EU path, they should move on. Those that believe that they can walk on the Moscow path, on the Putin path, as well as on the EU path, don’t deserve to be on the EU path. Because you can’t walk on both paths at once.”
President urges EU candidate status for B&H (HRT1)
President Zoran Milanovic on Thursday again urged the European Union to grant membership candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). EU leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit to decide on the membership candidate status for Ukraine and Moldova, for which there is widespread support. Milanovic requested the same status for B&H. He has Slovenian President Borut Pahor‘s strong support for this, and Austria has also joined the initiative.
The president denounced Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic for not doing enough to ensure EU candidate status for B&H. He also accused local leaders in Bosnia of sabotaging efforts to pass reforms to the electoral law, a key requirement for many in Brussels. “Croatia has been doing much more for much longer than anybody else. I can see that over the past five days that our friends in Slovenia and Austria have become more actively involved, which is great. But the whole push for B&H to be given EU candidate status has always been led by Croatia,” said Plenkovic in response. “We have heard from all member states that Ukraine will get the candidate status, which is fine, but Ukraine, just like Moldova, has some huge problems,” Milanovic said. “When it’s happy hour everybody’s drinks are cheaper. It can’t be happy hour just for some people. Hold on a second here. It’s happy hour. Drinks are simply cheaper for everyone,” said Milanovic, adding that it was a failed opportunity not to grant B&H candidate status along with Ukraine and Moldova.
Montenegro
Djukanovic: Aggression against Ukraine additionally points out importance of further integration of WB into EU (CDM)
“I think it is very good to continue the dialogue between the European Union and the Western Balkans”, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has stated ahead of a meeting of EU and WB leaders in Brussels. “It is especially important not to forget about this topic in the light of new geopolitical circumstances: I mean the aggression against Ukraine, and I think that this moment has additionally pointed out the importance of further integration of WB countries and it is a good moment to hear the EU’s repeated commitment to continue the process of European unification and create the preconditions for the foreseeable integration of the WB countries into the EU. It is also very important that we return to the previous good dynamics of reforms in the Western Balkans, especially in the field of rule of law, and thus create conditions for the EU to have arguments for continuing enlargement policy, European unification policy and achieving a certain and foreseeable European future of the WB countries”, President Djukanovic has pointed out. It’s recalled that President Djukanovic is staying in Brussels at the invitation of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel.
Djukanovic: It’s time for EU to confirm strategic importance of WB for peace and stability in Europe (CDM)
It is time for the EU to confirm the strategic importance of the Western Balkans for peace and stability in Europe. This is the message of Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, who is participating in the Meeting of EU and Western Balkans Leaders in Brussels. “We need to revive the enlargement process and advance the integration of Western Balkan societies. Both the EU and WB leaders must do everything to restore credibility to enlargement policy and reforms at the national level”, President Djukanovic has tweeted.
Djukanovic after Brussels meeting: We’ll support European political community if it means accelerating towards EU membership (CDM)
“The basic idea is EU membership for all Western Balkan countries. We will support everyone, including the European political community, if that is another form that can accelerate the process of achieving membership”, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic has stated after today’s meeting of EU and Western Balkan leaders in Brussels. “The idea of a European political community is not a substitute for membership, but a new framework that complements the institutional relationship between the Western Balkans and the EU. It’s a framework that can help speed up the process, but the basic idea is membership for all countries of the Western Balkans”, President Djukanovic has stressed. He has pointed out that Montenegro is interested in membership, not an “alternative to membership”.
European Parliament adopts report on Montenegro (Vijesti)
The European Parliament adopted a report on Montenegro for 2021 which shows that the country is a leader in the process of accession to the European Union, Podgorica daily Vijesti said on Thursday. It quoted Vladimir Bilcik MEP as saying that the time has come for Montenegro’s political leaders to close chapters and clusters by meeting remaining obligations and implementing reforms. He said there were positive signs that Montenegro can move forward on the way to the EU. He said that the report stresses the importance of an inter-party consensus on Montenegro’s strategic European choice. According to Bilcik, the European Parliament appreciates Montenegro’s continued complete alignment with EU foreign policy, especially in the context of Russia’s aggression on Ukraine.
Delegation of “only” 12 members to Serbia (CDM)
Yesterday, the Government of Montenegro adopted the Platform for the official two-day visit of PM Dritan Abazovic to Serbia, scheduled for 29 and 30 June. Abazovic will lead a large delegation containing 11 members in addition to him.
The delegation of the Government of Montenegro during the visit to Serbia will be led by Abazovic, and the members of the delegation will be Ana Raznatovic – charge d’affaires at the Embassy of Montenegro in Serbia, Vladimir Jokovic – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Aleksandar Damjanovic – Minister of Finance, Ana Novakovic Djurovic – Minister of Ecology, Spatial Planning and Urbanism, Djordje Radulovic – Advisor to the Prime Minister for Foreign Policy, Ana Rasovic – Head of the Prime Minister’s Office, Ivo Soc – Advisor to the Prime Minister for Legal Affairs, Milos Perisic – Advisor to the Prime Minister for Media, Radivoje Koprivica – Advisor to the Prime Minister for Digital Media, Jelena Maras – Secretary of the National Security Council and Milena Markovic – Counselor at the Embassy of Montenegro in Serbia.
According to the Platform, Abazovic will talk with Serbian officials about current issues of interest to Montenegro, issues of further cooperation, all with the aim of improving political dialogue and strengthening bilateral relations.
North Macedonia
Bulgarians gave the green light (N1)
The Bulgarian Parliament gave the green light to the Government today to approve the negotiating framework for the membership of Northern Macedonia in the EU. The Bulgarian Parliament debated today a decision accepting a proposal by the French EU presidency regarding a negotiating framework for North Macedonia and Albania. Thus, it was voted to lift the veto on the opening of negotiations on the accession of Northern Macedonia to the European Union, by which Sofia blocked Skopje’s accession to the EU from November 2020 due to cultural and historical disputes.
Kovacevski: French proposal in this form is unacceptable (Republika)
Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski yesterday at a joint press conference said that in this form, the French proposal is not acceptable for Macedonia. The proposal in this form, as it is at the moment, is unacceptable for me, for the president, for the government, for the coalition partners and for the citizens of Macedonia, Kovacevski said. He stated: Macedonia has been a candidate for 17 years. We are here today, and negotiations have not started yet. This is a serious problem and a serious blow to the EU. We and Albania and the region must not stand still because of a member state that fails to coordinate and ensure the unblocking of our European path. Bilateral issues must not become a multilateral issue. As a country committed to a common solution, we entered into negotiations with Bulgaria to find a solution with European values. We have been devoting time to the future for months. Bulgaria has decided to go back to the past and re-impose a blockade that does not benefit anyone. It is time for the EU to deliver on its promises. As far as the French proposal is concerned, this proposal is unacceptable to us.
Milososki: French proposal is diplomatic failure of Kovacevski and Osmani, resignation immediately (TV24)
The French proposal is a mistake and a diplomatic failure of the Government of Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski and his Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani, and they should resign from their positions, said Antonio Milososki, MP and member of the Executive Committee of VMRO-DPMNE in an interview with TV 24, after the Bulgarian veto for the continuation of Macedonia’s European integration was not lifted.
“I think it was a big mistake and diplomatic failure that Kovacevski and Osmani negotiated a month and a half ago on the form of this proposal, gave their share, did not share it with the public, did not even want to hold a joint closed session in the Foreign Affairs Committee, or in wider composition to see what the contours of such a proposal are, and therefore I think this rejection was forced after Kovacevski and Osmani realized that much of the public, intellectuals, the opposition, some of the smaller coalition partners, journalists and citizens, strongly opposed this proposal” said Milososki. He said that if Prime Minister Kovacevski rejected the so-called “French proposal” a week ago, then it can be discussed that he wanted to protect the national positions of the country, but as he pointed out today, he refused to protect his position.
Michel: On Macedonia, work continues towards swiftly finding a mutually acceptable solution (Republika)
European Council President Charles Michel says the EU needs the Western Balkans and the Western Balkans needs the EU. The EU needs the Western Balkans, and the Western Balkans need the EU. Strong support to reenergize the integration process and to advance accession. On Macedonia, work continues towards swiftly finding a mutually acceptable solution, said Michel after the EU-Western Balkans summit.
Borrell: One country blocks the whole enlargement process; the EU must include the Western Balkans in “its world” (Libertas)
“Today is not a good day, because we should have started the accession process with two countries, but we cannot, because one country is blocking the whole enlargement process,” EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in Brussels at the EU-Western Balkans Summit. He expressed dissatisfaction with Bulgaria’s lack of progress in opening accession talks with northern Macedonia and Albania, adding that it shows that the principle of consensus is not a good solution for EU decision-making.
– This case once again showed that consensus is a problem in decision making. We cannot continue, because one country is blocking, Borrell emphasized. He stressed that the EU must do everything possible to include the Western Balkans in “its world”, stressing that this could be done by inviting countries in the region to attend meetings of EU foreign ministers and other gatherings. “We must continue to prevent the European flame from being extinguished in the Western Balkans,” Borrell said.
Macron: Zaev is brave, he changed the Constitution and the name of the country – with the “North Macedonians” we will look for a way to reach an agreement! (MIA)
French President Emmanuel Macron, whose country holds the EU Presidency by the end of June, is hoping that an agreement between Skopje and Sofia on the negotiating framework is still possible, MIA reports from Brussels. We are close to an agreement that provides justice for the Bulgarian demands and is compatible with what Macedonia can do, visibility and trust are needed, in the next few hours there will be a vote in the Bulgarian Parliament, we will look at the Bulgarian president and the current majority parties. opposition parties, Macron said, adding that with the “North Macedonians” he would look for a way to reach agreement, to pass to the ambassadorial level by next week and to unblock the process. He saluted the courage of some leaders of Macedonia such as Zoran Zaev, who changed the Constitution and the name of the country. One member state has been late in calling for change, Macron told Bulgaria, adding that the EU could not pretend they did not exist and that there was a political crisis in Bulgaria. He also praised Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov for his political courage.
Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski rejected Thursday France’s proposal for a negotiating framework, saying only an agreement that respects the country’s red lines could be accepted. Those red lines are, among other things, the language, history, and change of the Constitution.
Albania
Rama: Bulgaria gains support to destabilize Macedonia, and that leads to discord (Radio Tirana)
Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama expressed disappointment from the European Union’s attitude towards the European integration of the region after the end of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Brussels on Thursday, saying Bulgaria is not the only problem but the fact that the EU is tired of enlargement. He said that Macedonia was the main topic, which has been waiting for 17 years for the opening of negotiations and changed its name, which did not lead to any progress. Bulgaria is not the only problem but the fact that the EU is tired of enlargement. It has become more of an instrument for individual members to stop something. The story of Bulgaria is a disgrace, and one country steals the chance for accession negotiations with other members. It turns out that one country imposes something of its own and other members can do nothing about it. We know that Bulgaria is gaining support to destabilize Macedonia, and that leads to discord. We will not wait for Godot. We in the Balkans will not give up and we will continue to work and one day we will become members of the European Union, Rama said.
Rama: The Bulgarian issue is holding ‘hostage’ two NATO countries (Radio Tirana)
”It is a new day in Europe but not in Bulgaria! What a disgrace for Europe this Bulgarian affair! In the middle of a very hot war at Europe’s backyard a NATO country kidnaps two other NATO countries under the watch of 26 EU countries that sit still in a scary show of impotence!”.
Yesterday, the Bulgarian parliament toppled the government, ‘deepening’ the stalemate over Albania and North Macedonia for the opening of negotiations. Prime Minister Rama writes on the social network Twitter that while Ukraine has been facing Russian aggression for 4 months, Bulgaria is holding ‘Albania’ and North Macedonia ‘hostage’ under the supervision of 26 European Union countries, which, as he says, ‘stand in a scary show. impotence ‘.
“It’s a new day in Europe, but not in Bulgaria! What a shame for Europe this Bulgarian issue! “In the midst of a very hot war in the backyard of Europe, a NATO country kidnaps two other NATO countries under the supervision of 26 EU countries that remain calm in a frightening display of impotence”, writes the Prime Minister.
Meanwhile, shortly after arriving in Brussels, Rama stated to the media that there are no expectations for the resolution of the Bulgarian issue and if such a thing happens, he stressed, he will have a motive to breathe freely from the hostage-taking of Albania and North Macedonia.
“Despite the hasty optimism of some here in Brussels, I do not expect anything to be resolved in Bulgaria, but certainly if it is resolved it will be a motive to breathe a sigh of relief from this hostage-taking of a NATO country, both countries “of NATO, at the height of a hot war on the border of Europe and under the watchful eye of 26 other countries that see”, said Rama.
Former Prime Minister of Bulgaria: We should adopt a resolution to pave way to the integration of Albania and North Macedonia (Radio Tirana)
Former Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov has slashed hopes for Albania and North Macedonia joining the EU. Petkov has stated that there is no chance that Bulgaria will lift its veto on North Macedonia during the EU summit being held today in Brussels. But Petkov hinted that an imminent solution could come in the coming days. On the evening of June 22, the Bulgarian Parliament toppled the government. After its fall, no political party in Bulgaria wants to lose its “face” before the snap elections.
According to Euractiv, the former Prime Minister continues to be of the opinion that the parliament should adopt a resolution that allows the removal of the veto, based on the approval of the proposal of the French Presidency, but according to him, this does not belong to him. Petkov stressed that the Bulgarian parliament should give the green light for lifting the veto and only then would it make its move that should be sustained over time, regardless of who governs. “This is what I will say to EU leaders,” he said. He stressed that the Bulgarian opposition used the North Macedonian issue to blackmail his cabinet whenever they feared corruption would be exposed from their time in office.
Charles Michel: We are discussing with Bulgaria to revive the enlargement process (Radio Tirana)
“The Western Balkans Summit is an important moment to revive the enlargement process in the region and send a clear signal.” This was the statement issued by the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, entering the EU-Western Balkans summit, when asked about the stalemate created in the issue of opening membership negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. “There are ongoing discussions with Bulgaria, and we are following the situation closely,” Michel added, underlining the EU ‘s commitment to overcoming the stalemate created by Sofia’s veto on Skopje. Meanwhile, the head of the European Council added: “The Bulgarian authorities are considering a proposal of the French presidency of the Council of the EU, which aims to overthrow the Bulgarian opposition and consequently advance the files of North Macedonia and Albania at the head of the EU priority.
