LOCAL PRESS

Dacic: Kosovo, biggest security challenge (Beta)

Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic said that our country respects the United Kingdom and wants to develop with it the best possible relations, regardless of the events related to Brexit. Dacic said in a speech at a ceremony marking the 180 anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and the United Kingdom that in addition to political and economic relations, cultural and scientific ties also had an important role in mutual acquaintance.  He added that, despite disagreements over issues that are of special importance for Serbia, there is a large space for cooperation in the relations between the two countries, especially in overcoming the global challenges we face today. Serbia sees itself as a reliable partner that the international community can count on. Combating terrorism and all forms of extremism is an urgent task, especially when it comes to the phenomenon of radical Islamism and jihadism. Dacic stressed that the issue of rise of radicalism and violent extremism in Kosovo and Metohija is of particular concern for Serbia, including the participation of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo in foreign battlefields as terrorist fighters. For us, the biggest security challenge is Kosovo and Metohija. We do not recognise its unilaterally proclaimed independence and we believe that a lasting and sustainable solution can only come through political means in accordance with international law through the neutral status of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, under the auspices of the EU, he said. It is our desire and interest that the relations between Serbia and the UK, which have a long tradition, be as good as possible. Therefore, we advocate a more intensive communication and more meetings between officials, which would further strengthen confidence and contribute to the improvement of relations, Dacic underlined.

Gojkovic: Serbia committed to policy of military neutrality (Tanjug/Beta)

Serbian parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic on Tuesday met with the President of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Paolo Alli, highlighting Serbia’s commitment to the policy of military neutrality and cooperation with NATO within that framework, while Alli stressed the significance of stability in the Western Balkans for stability across Europe, with Serbia as a key country in this regard. Alli is in Serbia as part of a visit by members of the NATO PA Sub-Committee on Transition and Development of the Economics and Security Committee, who are working on a report on economic transition in the Western Balkans.

Serbia remains militarily neutral, and will continue cooperation with NATO through Partnership for Peace, Deputy President of the National Assembly of Serbia Veroljub Arsic said this on Monday in Belgrade, during a meeting with a delegation of NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Arsic added that his country would not join military alliances and blocs and that it will continue to cooperate with NATO in order to preserve peace and stability in the region, said a statement issued by the parliament.

Hlavsova: Czech Republic strongly supports continuation of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Beta)

The Czech Republic’s Ambassador to Serbia Ivana Hlavsova said on 12 June that her country strongly supported Serbia’s accession to the EU and a dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and hoped for progress in setting up the Community of Serb Municipalities. The Czech diplomat said in an interview with Beta that bilateral political and economic ties were excellent, and that economic cooperation trends were positive, but that there was always room for the advancement of trade and investment. “We strongly support Serbia’s EU integration. Our country underwent a similar process in the past, and we know only too well how complex the issue is. We are supporting EU integration not only with political statements, but also with a series of development and other projects,” the Ambassador explained. Ambassador Hlavsova underlined that her country supported the continuation of the EU-brokered Belgrade-Pristina talks, and the implementation of the agreements signed in Brussels, defining the Community of Serb Municipalities as a major one. Hlavsova believes that the Berlin Process is very important for deepening economic cooperation and integration in the region. The ambassador said a new plan for the Western Balkans, which the German foreign minister presented earlier in June, the Berlin Plus agenda, should be accepted as a useful instrument in the accession process, but not as a substitute for Serbia’s full membership of the EU. “Formally, the Czech Republic is not part of the process, but we do support it, because there is a clear logic in supporting economic growth, the development of regional infrastructure and regional integration,” Hlavsova explained. The diplomat underlined that the two states had maintained a traditionally good, historical relationship, and that there were no open issues between them, which was always a positive base for cooperation.

EP: EU to open new chapters, Serbia makes considerable progress in talks with Pristina (Beta)

The European Parliament (EP) urges the EU to open new chapters in the accession talks with Serbia, which the country has prepared technically already, noting that Serbia “has made important steps in the normalization of relations with Kosovo…which is a key condition for overall progress in the talks,” says a draft resolution on Serbia to be discussed by the EU parliament in Strasbourg, on 13 June. The document underlines Serbia’s overall economic and social progress, “urging further steps to solve all open issues” in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue. The new resolution encourages “both sides to begin full implementation of the agreements.”

“This also includes setting up the Community of Serb Municipalities,” said the author of the resolution, David McAllister, the EP Rapporteur for Serbia, suggesting in the draft that the European External Action Service (EEAC), headed by Federica Mogherini, should “evaluate what the two parties have done to implement their obligations.” The document also says that the

Serbian authorities “have made certain progress in the judiciary, but that the independence of the judiciary has not been implemented.” The government in Belgrade is asked therefore to implement European standards in the judicial sector and “reduce political influence on the election and appointment of judges and prosecutors.” The draft resolution welcomes Belgrade’s participation in the EU’s international military and police missions but it “again calls on Serbia, in accordance with its status as a candidate for membership, to gradually coordinate its foreign and security policy with the EU, including its policy toward Russia.”

Bundestag president to visit Belgrade Wednesday (Tanjug)

President of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert is to pay a visit to Belgrade on Wednesday to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and speak in the Serbian parliament, several sources have confirmed to Tanjug. The two-day visit has not as yet been officially announced and there is no specific information on the agenda of the upcoming discussions in Belgrade.

REGIONAL PRESS

Tegeltija: Political pressures on work of judiciary in B&H has never been stronger (BHT1)

Speaking at a press conference in Banja Luka on Monday, President of the B&H High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) Milan Tegeltija warned that political pressures on the work of judiciary in B&H have never been stronger. He argued that the HJPC is unsatisfied with the work of the prosecutor’s offices in B&H, primarily in terms of the fight against organized crime and corruption. “Political pressure is definitely stronger than ever. Our legitimate goal is to fight against corruption and organized crime. However, through the story about legitimate goals that we have accepted, politics is actually trying to gain control over the judicial system,” Tegeltija explained. According to data provided by the HJPC, 18 ministers, 13 heads of municipalities and two prime ministers have been accused of corruption, 84 indictments have been issued against senior officials and 39 verdicts have been rendered over the past five years. Commenting on this issue, B&H Minister of Justice Josip Grubesa announced that the B&H Ministry of Justice will certainly demand an improvement in the work of judiciary, as well as responsibility of the holders of judicial offices. However, he noted that this is a long-term and time-consuming process. Commenting on possible reasons behind the lack of results in prosecution of major corruption affairs, Ivana Korajlic from Transparency International (TI) B&H stressed that one of the reasons includes political connections with the main holders of judicial offices. As a result of such situation, an increasing number of citizens are losing their confidence in judicial institutions.

B&H HoR CLAC refuses to adopt information on situation in B&H judiciary (EuroBlic)

The Constitutional Legal Affairs Commission (CLAC) of the House of Representatives (HoR) of B&H parliament did not adopt the Information on the Situation in Judiciary of B&H which was prepared by the Ministry of Justice of B&H. Majority of members of the CLAC believed that the Information is insufficient and not adequate for the parliamentary discussion on the situation in judiciary which was proposed by SDS. B&H HoR Constitutional-Legal Affairs Commission rejected the information and majority of its members expressed discontent because the material they received contained mostly statistic data. NDP’s Momcilo Novakovic finds it surprising that the Justice Ministry did not mention a single essential problem that burdens judiciary. He emphasized that B&H judiciary is obviously corrupted, mentioning the number of disciplinary procedures against prosecutors and judges. “Discussion must lead to conclusions, which will lead to changes in judiciary,” he concluded. Commission Chairman, SBB B&H’s Damir Arnaut emphasized that the information does not reflect real problems in judiciary, recalling of example of suspended Chief Prosecutor of B&H Goran Salihovic. He added that B&H HoR will certainly demand from the Ministry to deliver information about situation in judiciary, which is not something they got in this material. B&H HoR Speaker and Commission member Sefik Dzaferovic (SDA) deems that the information is not perfect but can serve as basis for discussion. SNSD’s Lazar Prodanovic said he is not sure yet if SNSD will attend the session on judiciary and that a lot more has to be done for this information to give adequate answers.

Two-day conference on terrorism underway in Sarajevo (BHT1)

The B&H Ministry of Security and the UK Embassy to B&H organized in Sarajevo a two-day conference dedicated to the problem of terrorism as the biggest security threat to modern world, as well as to the ways of prevention of financing of terrorism. Intelligence and financial experts from the UK are expected to share their experience with their colleagues from B&H, in order to help them recognize and prevent suspicious financial activities in a timely manner. Participants in the conference warned that financiers of terrorist activities have been successfully taking advantage of modern technologies in the field of banking, investment funds, nongovernmental organizations, as well as loopholes, in order to make sure that the funds intended for terrorist activities end up on the accounts of radicalized groups and individuals by legal means. In this context, B&H is one of the countries that are considered to be a weak part of the chain in the process of detecting suspicious financial flows. B&H Deputy Minister of Security Mijo Kresic confirmed that suspicious activities have been observed in B&H over the past several years. “It is obvious that certain amount of cash of suspicious origin has been introduced in B&H”, he said, refusing to reveal concrete examples.

UK Ambassador to B&H Edward Ferguson warned that financial experts have assessed B&H as one of the countries with strategic shortcomings in control of financial flows. “This is not only a risk for B&H, but also for the wider international community. At this moment, B&H is still in the group of countries such as Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, which are on the FATF’s ‘grey list’”, Ferguson was quoted as saying. In order for the country to be removed from the ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), it is necessary to implement three more recommendations of this organization. It is also necessary to establish a single registry of all nongovernmental organizations in B&H. Ferguson further explained that the UK has not changed its assessment of terrorism threats in B&H. Instead, there has been a change in terminology with regard to assessment of these threats all over the world. According to terrorism threat assessments made by the UK government, B&H is in the group of countries with a moderate threat level, along with Italy, Macedonia and Austria.

Foreign Minister Stier resigns (Jutarnji list)

The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs is leaving the government. Confirming recent media rumors, Croatian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Davor Ivo Stier announced that he has resigned from the government on Monday afternoon. His resignation comes several days after HDZ executed a parliamentary majority reshuffle and entered into a coalition with the liberal HNS. Stier is considered to be one of the most prominent members of HDZ’s conservative faction. “One week ago, I asked the Prime Minister to appoint a new person to head the Foreign Ministry, who will function well in the new political constellation. In this new situation, it is necessary to strengthen the Christian Democratic option in direct contact with citizens, and I think that as a member of the parliament I can do that. It is a great honor to represent the Republic of Croatia in the world, but now it is more important to be in the country to spread the Christian Democratic option and restore the trust of people in institutions. Therefore, it would be best for the Prime Minister to propose a new person to the head the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. I returned from New York on Friday, and the Prime Minister did not want to dismiss me while I was abroad, so there would be no inaccurate speculations. One of those speculations is that I might deny my support to Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic. That is incorrect. I have resigned to devote more time to intraparty work, which requires spending much more time in the field. I have officially resigned, and I want to thank all the employees of the Ministry. Of course, I will continue to perform my duties until my successor is appointed, but I expect that could happen in the next few weeks or perhaps earlier. I would like to point out that, in the first part of our term, in co-operation with the Prime Minister and the President, we have established a framework for conducting an independent foreign policy. As for the party, the task ahead of me is to implement what I wrote in my earlier essay about the party affairs. It is time to introduce the principle of ‘’one member, one vote’’ for elections of all HDZ officials at all levels. I believe this should be the principle in all the parties, not just in HDZ. HDZ belongs to all our members, and they must have the right to elect people to party bodies that will make critical decisions for the party and Croatia,” said Stier, who is HDZ’s political secretary.

Marija Pejcinovic Buric to be named Foreign Minister (HRT)

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic has announced the name of Croatia’s new Foreign Minister. After Croatian Foreign Minister Davor Ivo Stier had announced on Monday afternoon that he would resign from the government, Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic gave an interview in the evening in which he announced that the new Foreign Minister would be Marija Pejcinovic Buric, the current State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Speaking about Stier’s resignation, Plenkovic said he was not surprised. “I have felt it in recent months. He agrees with most things, but in some areas, he had certain reservations. Stier has not participated in political processes since April; he did not give public statements, so his resignation was expected. The new minister will be Marija Pejcinovic Buric. Stier will continue to be active as a member of the Parliament,” said Plenkovic. He added that he wanted to position HDZ in the center of the political spectrum, “where it was envisioned by Franjo Tudjman.” If Stier wants to help, said Plenkovic, then he is welcome. Plenkovic also sharply criticized members of parliament Bruna Esih and Zlatko Hasanbegovic, who entered the parliament as candidates on HDZ’s list but have founded a separate political party in the meantime. “Hasanbegovic and Esih have received the confidence of HDZ to be candidates on our list, but on Friday they voted against the government, together with SDP. That is imperative for their voters to know. That is neither fair nor loyal,” said Plenkovic. Interestingly, Predrag Stromar, the Deputy Prime Minister and Construction Minister, as well acting president of HNS, HDZ’s new coalition partner, was at the same time giving an interview on another TV station and said that he had no idea who the new minister would be. After journalists had informed him who the minister was, he admitted he did not know about it. “As far as I am aware, Mrs. Marija is a state secretary in the Ministry and knows everything that is happening there, but I did not know that she would be the new minister,” said Stromar. Taking into account intense reactions to HNS’s decision to enter into a coalition with HDZ, the fact that the Deputy Prime Minister has learned the identity of the new minister from journalists will not help improve HNS’s image.

Marija Pejcinovic Buric has been the State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs since November. She was born in 1963. In 1985, she graduated from the School of Economics in Zagreb, and later attended postgraduate studies in Belgium and Poland. She speaks three languages: French, English, and Spanish. During her career, she was HDZ’s Member of Parliament, State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integrations, and a member of the negotiating team for the accession of Croatia to the European Union. She is a close associate of the Prime Minister and an experienced long-time diplomat. She is expert for European affairs. Unlike Stier, who was HDZ’s political secretary and an influential member of the hard-line faction, Pejcinovic Buric has not been particularly active in party politics and is not believed to belong to any of the factions.

Hahn: Firstly a positive report by the EC is necessary and then approval from all 27 member states will be needed for negotiations to start (Meta)

The forming of the new government is a positive development that reflects the democratic outcome of the elections in December, said EU Commissioner Johannes Hahn at the joint press conference in Brussels with Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. “Macedonia has turned a new page after the political crisis which lasted too long. This is a new start but there is a lot of work ahead in order to carry out the reformatory priorities” said Hahn. He stressed that he is encouraged by the positive developments that were presented to him by Prime Minister Zaev and that the European Union remains dedicated to providing assistance in the implementation of the reforms. Within the context of the help, Hahn has mentioned the arrival of Reinhardt Priebe and the experts’ team in Macedonia that will assist the country in carrying out the conclusions from Priebe’s report and the reforms. Prime Minister Zaev stressed that during the meetings with the EU’s High Representatives they have agreed that it is more important than ever to have encouraging signals about the Euro-integrations. “The EU membership is a key strategic goal for Macedonia. We have a goal to start the negotiations for an association as soon as possible” said Zaev and he also said that the process of waiting has lasted too long. Zaev also stressed that the reforms in the judiciary will continue including the administration and the implementation of other proposals in order to remove the conditionality of the recommendation for starting the negotiations. He stressed that he will work on the improvement of the good neighborly relations because of which his first official visit shall be in the city of Sofia, where he will have talks with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov about ways of improving the situation. When asked whether the government has a capacity to deliver results for the European Commission until autumn in order for it to give a recommendation for the negotiations, Zaev said that even before the formation of the government they have sent messages for collaboration even to the opposition and the civil sector for a faster pace for receiving a starting date for the negotiations for an EU membership. When Hahn was asked whether EU is ready to provide a solution for Chapters 23 and 24 which would be a sign for a real step forward, he said that what is necessary first is a positive report from the EC and an approval by the 27 member countries. He greeted the Prime Minister’s decision to visit the neighboring countries and to improve the relations with them. “It is important to find a solution for the name dispute and how to move it forward. If there is a mutual trust and if good relations are built, we, as a European Commission, including me, I will mediate personally. We should make a progress with the solution of this problem” said Hahn, saying that if the negotiations are started with open-mindedness, then a solution can be found. Regarding the statements by official Athens that it will not withdraw from its red lines, Hahn said that in the whole situation both sides mustn’t look for winners and losers, but that both sides should make appeasements in order to find a solution. When asked whether it will be acceptable for the European Commission to start negotiations with Macedonia under the temporary reference, Hahn said that a complete approval of all member countries will be needed in order for the negotiations to start. In the end, Prime Minister Zaev stressed that Greece is a friend of Macedonia and that they are aware that official Athens can place blockades on each of the 35 chapters. “If Macedonia provides a reason and is building good-neighborly relations with Athens, a better and more positive ambiance for talks will be created for talks,” said Zaev.

Stoltenberg: NATO remains on the stance from Bucharest – firstly, the dispute with the name has to be solved (Meta)

NATO and the remaining part of the international community were shocked from the attack at the Parliament, said NATO’s General Secretary, Jen Stoltenberg at the joint press conference with the Macedonian Prime Minister, Zoran Zaev. He stressed that since April there has been a tremendous advancement in Macedonia but that the new government should start working on the improvement of a better rule, the rule of law, strengthening of the democratic institutions, the improvement of the inter-ethnic and good neighborly relations. “We want to see Macedonia as part of one stable region. NATO’s doors are open, we support all aspiring countries” said Stoltenberg, saying also that a political stability of the country is necessary, but the obstacle for the membership in the Alliance should be surpassed. The Prime Minister stressed that Macedonia has proven to be a great supporter of NATO especially through sending its soldiers on the Alliance’s missions, but despite that, it still hasn’t received its deserved membership.

“If we were a member of NATO we would have been providing even greater support. There is a great support for NATO among the citizens of Macedonia. But, despite the things we have done previously that were necessary, that wasn’t enough. That is not fair” said Zaev, saying that the new government is dedicated to the reforms and the judiciary, in accordance with EU’s recommendations. When asked if the reforms are implemented whether NATO is ready to offer membership to Macedonia, Stoltenberg asked that the Alliance still stands behind the stance that was expressed at the summit in Bucharest in 2008 and at the summit in Warsaw, 2016 i.e. what is necessary is an acceptable solution for the name dispute for both sides. “What is necessary is an acceptable solution for both sides within NATO’s framework. We aren’t suggesting a solution but if it is acceptable for Greece and Macedonia, we are ready for moving the membership process forward,” said Stoltenberg.

MoFA hails Kosovo elections: A fair and competitive process, solid proof of consolidated democracy (ATA)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Albania welcomes the democratic process that unfolded in the general elections in the Republic of Kosovo, on June 11th 2017. Expression of free will in a fair and competitive process constitutes another solid proof of the consolidation of democracy in Kosovo. The MoFA expresses confidence that new institutions will be established soon, in accordance with the will expressed and the constitution of the country, so as to respond to priorities, needs and development challenges, by also including the acceleration of the Euro-Atlantic integration process. The Albanian MoFA expects as soon as possible the continuation of close and comprehensive co-operation with the new government, to strengthen and expand the relations between Albania and Kosovo at their best, but also to further enhance and materialize cooperation in the regional framework.

Basha hails elections in Kosovo: Further consolidation of democratic standards (ATA)

The head of opposition, Lulzim Basha, in a press release has hailed the elections in Kosovo. He says that the calm climate in which the elections have taken place reflects the consolidation of democratic standards in Kosovo. According to Basha, the DP has regarded with priority the relations with Kosovo and, in turn, the deepening of cooperation with any govt. emerged from the legitimate vote of the sovereign people. “Personally and, on behalf of DP, I hail the elections held in Kosovo. The calm and transparent climate of elections is a testimony to further consolidation of democratic European standards in Kosovo. The quality of these elections is a good omen down the European path of Kosovo. The DP regarded with high priority the relations with Kosovo and deepening of cooperation with any govt. emerged from the legitimate vote of the sovereign people. I assert my full willingness that tomorrow at the helm of Albanian govt. I will increase cooperation with institutions of Kosovo and the new govt. towards the common Euro-Atlantic future,” Basha said

Judicial reform in Albania will move forward, states U.S. Embassy in Tirana (ATA)

The U.S. Embassy supports the statements of the leaders of the three largest political parties in Albania in support of judicial reform. “They are correct that judicial reform will move forward, but the Albanian people should be concerned about attempts to weaken the reform to protect corrupt judges and prosecutors, including those with ties to organized crime,” underlines the U.S. embassy. Vetting, is written further in the press release of the embassy, “must be strong and meaningful because key anti-corruption components of the reform, including the SPAK and the NBI, are dependent upon having honest judges and prosecutors.” “We urge the Constitutional Court to review complaints in an open and transparent manner, while relying on Venice Commission recommendations. We applaud the Albanian people, civil society, and independent media who continue to stand watch so corrupt people do not steal their democracy,” it is written in the press release of the U.S. Embassy.

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

Macedonia considers using provisional name to join Nato (The Financial Times, by Andrew Byrne in Budapest and Kerin Hope in Athens, 12 June 2017)

Macedonia will consider fresh proposals on its provisional name in an effort to unlock Greek opposition to its Nato membership, the country’s foreign minister has said.

Membership of the alliance would help calm the wider Balkan region after months of political tension that occasionally spilled into bloodshed, Nikola Dimitrov will tell senior Nato officials in Brussels on Monday.

Mr Dimitrov said it was too soon to discuss any specific name proposals but he would meet Greek ministers on Wednesday to restore trust between the two neighbours after Athens vetoed the Balkan republic’s Nato application in 2008. “I will ask Greece to reconsider what kind of neighbour they want — do they want a stable, friendly country that offers hope for democracy and justice?” he said in an interview. “If we are a good neighbour, then hopefully political forces in Greece will realise this is a historic opportunity.” Macedonia, which calls itself the Republic of Macedonia, infuriates Greeks who believe the name implies a territorial claim to the northern Greek province with the same name. Nikola Gruevski, former prime minister, further antagonised Athens by renaming airports and motorways after Alexander the Great, the ancient Greek warrior reimagined by his party as its own national hero. A name change has been floated in the past and previous suggestions include Upper Republic of Macedonia. The country gained admission to the UN as the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia but evidence of Russian meddling in the Balkans has bolstered western determination to settle the dispute and extend Nato membership. Montenegro joined the alliance on June 5, months after an alleged coup attempt reportedly backed by Moscow, which has denied the claims. Western analysts said progress on Nato membership would also help Macedonia’s new government bridge a political divide that EU officials have sought to mediate for nearly two years. “The new government needs shoring up and nothing would be a better sign of success than a breakthrough in the name dispute,” said Florian Bieber, political scientist at the University of Graz.

Greece’s Syriza government has greeted the government in Skopje as a more co-operative partner than its strongly nationalist predecessor and officials gave Mr Dimitrov’s remarks a cautious welcome. “There are grounds now for more optimism [on the name issue] and we’re hoping for progress when our foreign ministers meet in Athens next week,” said one Greek official. But he ruled out setting a timetable for reaching a compromise: “This is an issue that has been on the table for more than two decades and it would be rash to make any prediction.”

Mr Dimitrov said any new name would be subject to approval in a referendum and the government would seek cross-party consensus before putting the issue to a vote. He added an agreement, which some analysts believe could be achieved within a year, would help sideline calls to redraw the region’s political map and risk reopening explosive political and ethnic disputes. “The Balkans is not a very happy place; in many places, people feel there is a chance to change the status of the post-Yugoslav war settlements,” he said. “By welcoming Macedonia, Nato could have a calming effect on the region.” In opposition, officials from Syriza, Greece’s leftwing internationalist governing party, spoke openly of agreeing on a composite name chosen by Macedonia. But in government, Alexis Tsipras, prime minister, must tread carefully. His coalition partner, the small rightwing Independent Greeks, or Anel, is fiercely nationalist.

“It’s hard to be optimistic [about a solution] when you consider that nationalist rhetoric is what defines Anel for its voters,” says Thanos Veremis, emeritus professor of history at Athens University. “There is also a quietly nationalist faction within Syriza to be taken into account.”

New Macedonian government boldly demands Brussels’ attention (DW, 12 June 2017)

Is Macedonia’s new prime minister finally ready to end the “name blame” game with Greece? NATO maintains there will be no membership invitation issued to the Balkan country until a compromise is found.

Macedonia, required to formally be called the “Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia”  or “FYROM,” has been working on its Membership Action Plan  – the pathway to becoming a NATO ally – since 1999, when Albania also received the nod. Balkan neighbors Croatia and Montenegro earned that status in 2002 and 2009, respectively. Of them, only Macedonia remains outside the alliance today, stalled for almost a decade by an impasse with Athens over the name “Macedonia,” shared by the former Balkan state and a region of Greece. Seeing Montenegro’s flag raised outside NATO headquarters last week, with full membership accomplished in just one decade, reminded Macedonians all too clearly their dreams of Western acceptance, not to mention the NATO security embrace, remain unfulfilled. “We were first in line and now it seems we are the last ones,” says one Macedonian diplomat, who spoke only on condition of anonymity. “We are feeling very depressed about that.”

From bloodied face to head of government

But new Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, in office only since the beginning of June, doesn’t seem depressed – he seems driven.  Zaev took over his country’s government after months of instability in which he’d even been physically assaulted by his predecessor’s supporters, who stormed the national parliament in April. Zaev has made no secret of the fact that bringing Macedonia into NATO and the European Union are his top priorities and that he’s willing to be creative in ending the name dispute with Greece.“I think there’s new momentum,” EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn said alongside Zaev after their meeting.  “I think we can use this situation and make progress.” Speaking later at NATO headquarters with Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Zaev explained his plans. While he called the blockade “not fair” in light of the many contributions Skopje has made to NATO operations, the prime minister said he’s dedicated to improving relations with Greece, where he’s sending his foreign minister on Wednesday, adopting an interim name that will win Athens’ agreement to move forward. Diplomatic sources and media reports say that is likely to be “Upper Macedonia” or the “Upper Republic of Macedonia.” “Standing in one place just causes crisis,” Zaev said. “Even with the temporary reference we can receive an invitation from NATO … and during the ratification of all the 29 member states of NATO we can still have two years” to find a permanent solution that will win Greece’s backing for full ratification.

Russia’s sphere of influence shrinks

While Stoltenberg underscored the need for Zaev’s government to implement reforms, Zaev also alluded several times to reasons why allies should consider his country’s membership in their own interest, pointing out that it’s “important for the Western Balkans to be secure and stable.” Like in fellow Balkan NATO aspirant, now member, Montenegro, the Kremlin has sought to line up a strong hand in Macedonia. The Macedonian diplomat confirmed that the pressure from Moscow is “not visible but it’s everywhere – you can feel it.” The Organized Crime & Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), a investigative cooperative, last week published a dossier based on information from Macedonia’s own intelligence services. “About nine years ago they had noticed that the Russian embassy in the country had been upping their intelligence activities,” reporter Aubrey Belford told DW, using soft-power techniques such as paying media to run pro-Kremlin stories and trying to influence local politicians not to support further western integration. “Russia’s goal in the region is to just pry it out of the Western orbit,” Belford explained, “keeping the country out of play and limiting NATO’s expansion.” One of the documents in the report cites the Russian ambassador in Skopje describing the aim to “create a strip of militarily neutral countries” in the Balkans including Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Serbia.

A NATO source confirmed to DW that the alliance has its own evidence of Russian attempts to sideline Macedonian progress. Gordana Delic, director of the German Marshall Fund’s “Balkan Trust for Democracy” project, says Macedonia’s Western friends bear some responsibility for the country’s democratic deficits. “The name dispute is something that was heavily neglected by all sides,” she told DW. “The political turmoil is a consequence of the global challenges but also of that neglect.”

Skopje’s invitation stamped soon?

Delic says it’s not too late to fix that, if both NATO and the EU are prepared to provide “serious, experienced and dedicated assistance.” While the Zaev government appears to be clean of the corruption and Russian-influence problems of the previous regime, Delic warns that the flip-side of this is that it also has few ties to its own police, military and security services. “The Balkans are an excellent platform for both the EU and NATO to exercise their unity in a smart and intelligent way,” Delic believes. “Now it is time to finish the unfinished business. Integration of the Western Balkans into the trans-Atlantic community is a win-win situation.” Both sides have their views of what “unfinished business” means. NATO Secretary General Stoltenberg urged Zaev to focus on strengthening Macedonia’s own rule of law as the best way to resist what he euphemistically termed “foreign interference.”  Zaev pledged he’d do that, but also told Stoltenberg he expects his country to be the “next good news coming from NATO,” with the Macedonian flag soon being hoisted high at headquarters as the 30th ally.