LOCAL PRESS

 

Fule: New phase of normalization needed (RTS)

Presenting the 2014 Enlargement Package to the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Brussels, the EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule has stated that Serbia has made a milestone in EU integration when it opened the accession negotiations this year. “Serbia has more responsibility in this phase, but also opportunities it can use on its EU path,” said Fule. He praised the high level of preparation and professionalism with which Serbia has started the screening process, as well as government efforts for reforms in the judiciary, public administration and economy. Fule especially stressed the importance of regional cooperation and the process of normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations. “Now we need a new momentum in the normalization process, and the EU is ready to assist,” said Fule.

 

Everything according to schedule on Serbia’s EU path (RTS/Tanjug)

The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport handed over today the European Commission’s (EC) report to Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic. Davenport said this was a very important day for both Serbia and the EU, that, despite difficulties and challenges, everything was going according to schedule, and that, so far, not a single day had been lost in the negotiations. Vucic said that Serbia had done an important job in the past period, that he was partially satisfied with the EC report, that he personally thinks this is not enough, which is why we were facing even more and harder work. Davenport also presented at the press conference the Strategy for further EU enlargement. “We have had over this period many steps forward as regards Serbia’s path towards the EU. I have in mind the adoption of the negotiating framework in December 2013 and the first conference on accession in January 2014, and I think these decisions represented deserved recognition of the permanent progress that Serbia is achieving in reforms and normalization of relations with Kosovo,” said Davenport.

 

Vucic: EC report on Serbia’s progress best in region (Tanjug)

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said after his meeting with visiting Austrian Foreign Minster Sebastian Kurz the European Commission report on Serbia’s progress is better than all the other reports in the region. “When I talk to Sebastian Kurz I cannot hide a smile. The fact I’m tired is because I’m tired from two days of careful reading of the report - it took me 12 hours to read it and then I carefully worked on the report for 12 hours more, so even if I have dark circles under my eyes I got them from the report,” Vucic told a joint news conference, according to Tanjug. Asked whether Austria has given more aid after the floods than Russia, Vucic said that Serbia respects each country and that the Russians were quick to send rescue teams, but that Austria gave more aid to repair the damage. He reiterated that the UAE, Austria, Norway, and Japan were top donors. Vucic also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit Serbia on 16 October, as the 70^th anniversary of the WWII liberation of Belgrade will be taking place - and that the country is not ashamed to talk about this, but on the contrary, is proud of its anti-fascist struggle.

 

Kurz congratulates Serbia on positive EC report (Tanjug)

Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz congratulated Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic on Wednesday over the report of the European Commission (EC) on Serbia’s progress which, as he said, has a positive score primarily in the implementation of reforms in the economy sector. Following the talks with Vucic at a joint news conference in Belgrade, Kurz expressed satisfaction over such a positive score in the report on Serbia’s progress, and congratulated Vucic on the five months’ hard work in the area of reforms, primarily in the economy sector, because this is positive for the increase of investors’ trust. Kurz said that the new EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn of Austria asked him to convey his congratulations to the Serbian Prime Minister and said that he is looking forward to cooperation with Serbia in the integration process. The Austrian Prime Minister said that the main reason of the visit of the Austrian delegation lies in the repair of the consequences of May floods which hit Serbia and B&H. Austria was fortunately able to respond efficiently and provide assistance in many areas, Kurz said and added that the government provided assistance, as well as NGOs and individuals who nurture deep sympathies toward Serbia. Kurtz said that the forthcoming visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Belgrade would not harm relations between Serbia and the EU. Serbia’s position is clear. Clearly, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and the Serbian citizens are on the road to the EU and this is what counts, Kurz said.

 

Dacic: Division of Kosovo good solution (Novosti)

“I think that division of Kosovo and Metohija would be one of the best solutions and in the interest of both the Serbs and Albanians. Such an agreement, i.e. a permanent solution of Belgrade-Pristina relations, could be reached at an international conference under the auspices of the EU, but also the U.S. and Russia,” Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Novosti on the occasion of the messages of the Head of the Russian Office in Pristina Andrey Shugurov, who, according to the Pristina media, once again presented the idea on exchange of territories: “The minorities in Kosovo and Metohija do not have a future in Kosovo and this is why exchange of territories would be the most justified option for both sides, and the state-of-affairs should be returned to the middle of the last century, when the Presevo Valley was Kosovo’s and northern Kosovo was Serbia’s,” said Shugurov, noting this was his personal opinion. However, there is no official support either in Belgrade or in Pristina, or in most of the world powers, for this kind of outcome scenario. Minister Dacic stresses that the idea on division is his personal opinion and that Serbia continues the present policy of seeking solutions though political dialogue: “Our positions remain unchanged, this being that we will not recognize the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija.” It is precisely recognition of Pristina, which would be a result of accepting division or exchange of territories, is the biggest obstacle for Serbia. According to professor of international relations Predrag Simic, in case of “swap” of the Presevo Valley and northern Kosovo, Serbia would permanently lose the positions on Corridor 10 and a domino effect of new boundaries in the Balkans would follow: “There is B&H, i.e. the RS, Macedonia, northern Greece… In my opinion, exchange of territories or division of Kosovo would be a bad long-term solution, both geographically and politically, both for Serbia and the entire international community.”

 

Gorbunov: Presevo Valley for northern Kosovo and Metohija is not the Russian position (Politika)

The Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Embassy to Serbia Ivan Gorbunov denied for Politika the reports of the Pristina daily Zeri, which published yesterday that, according to the Head of the Russian Office in Pristina Andrey Shugurov, the best option for calming the region is to give Pristina the Presevo Valley and Serbia to take northern Kosovo. Zeri reported in the alleged interview that the Russian diplomat in Pristina had said that he doesn’t have the status of an officially accredited diplomat in Kosovo and thus he can speak more openly, that this is his personal opinion and that he is convinced minorities in Kosovo do not have a future, and this is why exchange of territories between Kosovo and Serbia would be the most justified option for both sides. Asked by Politika whether the Russian Embassy in Belgrade considers as credible the statement of its official in Pristina (since the Office in Pristina operates within the Embassy in Belgrade), Gorbunov noted in a written statement that as regards the statement that is attributed provocatively to the Head of the Office of the Russian Embassy to Serbia with headquarters in Pristina – none of that is true. He said that the official position of the Russian Federation in regard to the Kosovo issue is well known to everyone and remains unchanged. It is firmly based on international law and UNSCR 1244. Russia supports Serbia’s efforts aimed at a peaceful regulation of the Kosovo issue. “As we have pointed out several times, Russia proceeds from the assumption that Serbia’s role is primary, so the Russian side will support any solution of the Serbian side that will be acceptable to it,” said the Chargé d’Affaires of the Russian Embassy to Serbia.

 

Jahjaga to attend gathering of “shrouded global government” (Danas)

Kosovo President Atifete Jahjaga has been invited for the 1 November meeting of the European group Trilateral Commission, which is being held from 31 October to 2 November in Belgrade, Kosovo presidential advisor Arber Vlahiu told Danas. However, he didn’t wish to say who will be present and what topics will be discussed at this meeting. On the other hand, Serbian institutions and EU representatives in Belgrade didn’t have an answer to Danas’ question what is the occasion for Jahjaga’s visit to Belgrade. The Trilateral Commission gathers most powerful people from politics, business and media, and they also call it the “shrouded global government”. In the European branch, which has 175 members, Germany has 20, France, Italy and Great Britain 18 members each, and Spain 12 members. Representatives of the European group Trilateral Commission meet once a year, in the fall, and this year it will be in Belgrade. Serbia, which became a member at last year’s meeting in Berlin, has three members. These are Jovan Kovacic, the representative of the East West Bridge Company (EWB), Dejan Novakovic, EWB co-president and former state secretary in the Energy Ministry, and Tahir Hasanovic, former official of the New Democracy and EWB executive director. Regarding the regional conference that will gather the foreign and economy ministers, the Serbian Foreign Ministry confirmed to Danas that it will be definitely held on 23 October. They add that the invitations to the ministers in the region have not been sent yet, but that it will be done “in accordance with the Brussels agreement”.

 

Musliu candidate for National Council president (Beta)

The leader of the Movement for Democratic Progress Jonuz Musliu has stated that five Albanian parties from Bujanovac and Presevo agreed for him to be the joint candidate for the president of the National Council of Albanians at the 26 October elections. Musliu told Beta that the agreement on a joint candidate was signed by the Democratic Party (PDP) led by Nagip Arifi, the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA) led by Ragmi Mustafa, the Democratic Union of the Valley (DUD) led by Skender Destani and the Democratic Renewal led by Ramiz Latifi. Musliu said these parties would take part in the elections with two electoral lists, one of which will be composed by the PDP, DPA and the Democratic Renewal, while the other list would include the Democratic Party and DUD, but that both lists will have a joint candidate for the National Council of Albanians. “I expect after the elections for the National Council of Albanians to have a different image than before and I think the set of parties on a joint list is already proof that the Albanians really want problems to be resolved and that there is no compromise,” said Musliu.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

B&H Central Electoral Commission: Elections to be monitored by more than 8,000 observers (Oslobodjenje)

The Central Electoral Commission (CIK) accepted a request for accreditation for several hundred representatives of international organizations and domestic non-governmental organizations, such that this year’s elections will be monitored by more than 8,000 observers. Among the observers will be the EU Special Representative in B&H Peter Sorensen, the deputy chief of mission of the U.S. Embassy to B&H Nicholas Hill, and several ambassadors, as well as political entities participating in the 12 October general elections. The CIK determined the level of compensation for electoral observers for the general elections and for work at the Central Counting Center (CCC). The CIK adopted instructions on the conduct of electoral commissions for the general elections, which includes a timetable for informing the public about progress and results for the elections on 12 and 13 October. The first preliminary unofficial and incomplete voting results will be announced by the CIK at midnight on 12 October, for the B&H Presidency members, and preliminary results for all levels of government will come out on 13 October. This time, the CIK will hold a press conference on polling day and the day after at the B&H Parliamentary Assembly, as has been done in previous elections.

 

Dodik in Sarajevo: Bosniaks as nation do not exist (Dnevni avaz)

“I was elected by the people, and everything I do is for the people, while so far, I have not done anything to make anyone’s life harder, my work was focused on the preservation of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and the Republika Srpska (RS)” said candidate for re-election to the post of RS President, Milorad Dodik, at an election debate of the party he leads, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), in Sarajevo. “Attempts, at the international level, to damage the identity of the nation and the state are, in essence, going in a direction of a great historical charade, which basically ends at election time, when the clear delineation of who is a Serb, Bosniak and Croat comes out,” he said. “That’s why it is important to keep the mechanisms by which all the people in B&H decide their fate.” He stated, that, as usual, he will not allow the stripping of jurisdictions from the RS institutions by the B&H state level. He reiterated the position that “Bosniaks, as a nation, do not exist”, since they “wandered through the history”, and are the by-product of “something that was imposed by the Ottoman colonial rule,” while, due to this, “Serbs are still at risk in Sarajevo.” He explained that Banja Luka hosted “Russian performing artists, performing Don Cossacks and not the terrorists, as some claim. If they were terrorists they would have attacked Sarajevo by now.”

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESS

 

Kosovo politics holding back EU trials on organ trafficking (EUobserver, by Andrew Rettman and Ekrem Krasniqi, 8 October 2014)

BRUSSELS and PRISTINA - EU efforts to shed light on allegations of organ trafficking in Kosovo risk being delayed by a power struggle in Pristina.

The plan is to create a new court in The Hague in early 2015 on the model of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

It will try suspects on evidence collected by the Special Investigative Task Force (SITF), a Brussels-based unit of Eulex, the European rule of law mission in Kosovo.

The allegations of organ trafficking first came out in a report by Swiss senator Dick Marty in 2010.

Marty said top leaders of the KLA - the Kosovo guerrillas who fought Serbia in the 1990s, including Kosovo PM Hashim Thaci - abducted Albanian and Serb civilians, murdered them, and sold their body parts on the black market.

The SITF says it has enough proof so that "charges can be filed" against “certain senior [KLA] officials”.

It wants to try them in The Hague because Kosovo is too dangerous for witnesses and its courts lack international credibility.

EU countries on 29 September changed Eulex’ mandate so it can “support the relocated judicial proceedings” - trials on foreign soil.

Kosovo foreign minister Enver Hoxhaj also told EUobserver that Pristina is in talks “with the Dutch government and with Brussels” on the bilateral agreements they need to go ahead.

But Kosovo’s inability to form a new government after elections in June means its parliament cannot pass the necessary laws on working with the tribunal.

“There is legislation that needs to be approved by the Kosovo assembly so that the creation of [the] court is compatible with Kosovo law”, SITF spokesman Joao Sousa said.

The political mess comes after Thaci’s party, the PDK, won the most votes but not a majority.

Four opposition parties - the LDK, the AAK, Nisma, and Vetvendosje - did get enough votes to form a ruling coalition. But Kosovo’s president and its constitutional court could not get Thaci to stand aside, creating a stalemate.

The situation is also causing delays for EU efforts to “normalise” Kosovo relations with Serbia because parliament cannot formalise the agreements.

A matter of weeks?

For his part, Hoxhaj said there will be a coalition deal in a matter of “some weeks”.

“I don’t think the stalemate we have at home will impact badly on the special court … this will be one of the key priorities for the next government”.

But independent analysts are less optimistic.

Avni Zogiani, a lawyer who runs the anti-corruption NGO, Cohu, in Pristina said the situation “suits” Thaci because it helps him to evade trial on the Marty allegations and on broader accusations of graft.

Zogiani has documented Thaci family links to dodgy public procurement contracts in the EU and US protectorate.

But he said international powers have so far shielded the PM from justice in return for Serbia “normalisation”, which is unpopular because it gives autonomy to Kosovo Serbs.

He warned that if they confront him he is likely to cause trouble by calling on ex-KLA men to hold protests in Pristina.

“If Thaci is arrested, for sure he would try to get his people on the streets and he would join those forces who are against the dialogue [with Serbia] … The internationals get political stability in return for their loyalty. This is why Kosovo politicians have become millionaires while 50 percent of ordinary people live in poverty”.

The Thaci minister, Hoxhaj, dismissed Zogiani’s claims as “unfounded … conspiracy theories”.

He said Kosovo authorities have “nothing to hide” and have “enormous political will” to go ahead with the SITF tribunal to clear the KLA’s name.

“Kosovo fought for freedom and liberty. Since the Marty allegations were made public they have shaken the image of Kosovo and we are very keen to close this chapter”.

’Few are innocent’

Doris Pack, a German centre-right politician and former MEP who has worked on Kosovo since the break-up of the former Yugoslavia, agreed with Hoxhaj to an extent.

She told this website the Marty allegations are “unconvincing”.

She said if the SITF has compelling evidence against Thaci then it does not matter if he stays in power and she cast doubt on predictions that his clan would cause instability.

“If they really have something on Thaci then he can be brought to trial even if he is still prime minister”, she noted.

“I don’t think there would be street protests or that everything would stop. People understand that this case must be closed and if someone is punished the majority of Kosovars would accept it”.

Pack also said the best recipe for stability would be a coalition between Thaci’s PDK party and the LDK.

But she agreed with Zogiani that corruption in Kosovo’s political elite and in the top ranks of the international community in Pristina is holding back development.

She noted that the opposition leader, Ramush Haradinaj, avoided war crimes charges because “witnesses were no longer willing to testify”.

“The internationals who ruled Kosovo for the past 10 years created networks of corruption but no one can bring them to court because they are internationals”, she said.

“Very few people are innocent in this region.”

 

Serbia Seeks Limited Free-Trade Regime With Russia (The Moscow Times, 7 October 2014)

Serbia has asked Russia for a free-trade regime for certain classes of goods, news agency TASS reported Tuesday, citing Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak.

Serbia would like the proposed free-trade regime to cover sugar, cigarettes, alcohol, meat, poultry and cars, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said. The agreement would cover bilateral trade in these goods, and would therefore require changes to duties paid by both Russia and Serbia.

Russia's Novak noted that, as Russia is a member of the Customs Union alongside Belarus and Kazakhstan, the proposed trade regime would have to be discussed by all three members of the Russia-led trade union before a decision was made.

Russia's Agriculture Ministry earlier stated that, due to the increasing pressure of EU sanctions on Russia's economy, Serbia had a unique chance to expand into the Russian market. The ministry noted its interest in increasing imports of Serbian meat, milk, fruit and vegetables. Trade turnover between Russia and Serbia in agricultural goods could even double, from $270 million to $500 million per year, Russian Agriculture Minister Nikolai Fedorov said.

Serbia and Russia have traditionally been allies, with cultural and historical linkages reaching back centuries. Despite being a candidate for membership in the EU, Serbia has toed a fine line over Russia's annexation of the Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea, notably abstaining from an UN vote in favor of Ukraine's territorial integrity.

 

Crime, media restrictions limit Balkan progress to EU –report (Reuters, by Robin Emmott, 8 October 2014)

BRUSSELS - The Balkan countries seeking to join the European Union must do more to tackle organised crime and corruption, the European Commission said on Wednesday, while also urging Serbia to safeguard press freedoms.

Montenegro, Serbia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo are all seeking membership of the world's largest trading bloc and the EU has moved fastest to help integrate the Balkans. Near neighbour Turkey also wants to join.

In its annual progress report for aspiring members of the European Union, the Commission signalled that no country is likely to be ready for membership soon.

For both the former Yugoslav republic of Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the integration process has stalled, the Commission said.

There has been no success is resolving Greece's block on the launch of negotiations because the former republic calls itself "Macedonia", a name Athens says is a territorial appropriation of the name of its northern Greek province.

The Commission also blamed "a lack of collective political will" in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the lack of progress there, saying there has been no effective coordination to prepare the country for EU membership.

Corruption remains a problem in Albania, Serbia and Kosovo. Montenegro has made progress on that front but is not doing enough to investigate cases of violence against journalists and making final convictions in corruption cases.

In Serbia, the Commission is also worried about the repression of journalists and media organisations.

"There are concerns about deteriorating conditions for the full exercise of freedom of expression," the report said.

Membership of the EU means joining the world's largest trading bloc with its free movement of workers, funding for poorer regions and the offer of greater prosperity for citizens.

But following the worst financial crisis in a generation and with more than 18 million people out of work in the euro zone, Europeans are less willing to accept newcomers.

Commission President-elect Jean-Claude Juncker has said no new countries will join the European Union over the next five years, although negotiations will continue. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Toby Chopra)

 

Enlargement report package criticizes Montenegro (EurActiv, 8 October 2014)

The yearly enlargement reports to be unveiled today (8 October) will be critical of Montenegro, mostly because Prime Minister Milo Djukanović has been running the country as though it were a family business, diplomats told EurActiv.

Germany, Austria and the Scandinavian countries are particularly critical of Montenegro, and this criticism is translated into diplomatic language in the Commission report, diplomats said.

Reportedly, some of these countries have suggested making use of a safeguard clause and freezing the accession negotiations with Montenegro, until the situation improves. But a majority of EU countries have taken the view that making use of the safeguard clause would be too big a punishment for Podgorica.

Montenegro has opened accession negotiations in 2012 and has already closed two chapters of them (Science and Research and Education and Culture) and has opened ten more, including Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Justice, Freedom and Security. The Commission says that a limited administrative represents a challenge to ensure the success of the talks.

Milo Djukanović was first a close ally of Slobodan Milošević in the former Yugoslavia, but turned against him in 1996 and steered his country to independence in 2006. He was Prime Minister of Montenegro from 2008 to 2010, and returned to the post in December 2012. He has been investigated by the Italian anti-mafia commission for organised crime worth billions of euro, but in 2009 the Italian prosecution dropped the case.

Strangely enough, Montenegro is seen as the frontrunner for EU accession, and even Federica Mogherini, the prospective future Commission Vice President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs said on Monday during her hearing in the European Parliament that this country is on the top of the list of the Western Balkans enlargement countries (see background).

The report says a number of local elections held in Montenegro were marred by allegations of electoral wrongdoing and that they should be investigated. The report peaks of abuse of public funds for party purposes, of high-level corruption, of violence and threats against journalists.

Shortcomings with regard to the independence and accountability of the judicial system remain a matter of serious concern and hamper the fight against corruption, the report says.

In the case of Serbia, the Commission also makes warnings with regard to South Stream, the Gazprom-favoured pipeline that stretches from the Black Sea coast to Bulgaria across Serbia toward Italy. A Gazprom official recently said that Serbia said it will start building its stretch of South Stream in October.

Brussels says that the bilateral agreements signed with the transit countries with Russia contain breaches to EU law. The Commission recommends to Serbia it should align its internal legislation concerning South Stream with EU law.

In the Juncker Commission, Austria’s Johannes Hahn has been assigned the portfolio for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations. The portfolio title has been revised, because no new EU enlargement could possibly take place during the next five years. However, accession negotiations are expected to continue.

 

EU enlargement heading into chilly period (EUobserver, by Andrew Rettman, 8 October 2014)

BRUSSELS - The European Commission is not recommending any new steps on Western Balkan enlargement in the next 12 months, but wants to open two extra “chapters” in Turkey talks.

Its annual packet of reports on the EU-hopeful countries, out on Wednesday (8 October), said for the sixth year in a row that EU countries should open negotiations with Macedonia.

But it noted that Skopje’s accession process is at an “impasse” due to “backsliding” on democratic reforms, the opposition’s boycott of parliament, and “failure” to make progress in its 19-year old name dispute with Greece.

In contrast to last year’s reports, when Brussels gave conditional recommendations to make Albania an official “candidate” and to open negotiations with Serbia, this year’s documents do not endorse any other legal steps in the region.

The tortuous path to EU membership begins with implementation of a “Stabilisation and Association Agreement” (SAA). EU countries then give the aspirants candidate status. The next step is to launch negotiations and to open and close all 35 legislative chapters.

Montenegro is the furthest ahead in the region, having launched talks and opened 12 chapters.

But instead of opening more chapters, the commission said it should do more to stymie corruption and “accelerate” investigations into “cases of violence against journalists”.

Serbia has started negotiations but not opened any chapters.

The reports praised its “political impetus” to combat graft. But it said “corruption remains prevalent” and called for “concrete results” in the fight against organised crime.

It also said Serbia’s progress is tied to “normalisation” of relations with Kosovo. But Kosovo’s inability to form a government after June elections has seen the process all-but grind to a halt.

Albania, a candidate, was praised for reforms. But the opposition is also boycotting parliament and the commission said nothing on launching accession negotiations.

Bosnia and Kosovo are still trying to complete their SAAs.

The commission said Bosnia’s progress is at a “standstill” due to political infighting among ethnic factions.

It said it “looks forward” to concluding the Kosovo SAA, but stopped short of formally backing the step.

Special case

The reports highlighted that Turkey is a special case.

They describe it as a “strategic partner” on Middle East foreign policy and on energy security. They also say the EU should open two new chapters - 23 and 24 on rule of law - to create a “comprehensive roadmap for reforms in this essential area”.

But Turkey is also special due to its crackdown on police and judges who tried to investigate graft in the ruling clan; its mass jailing of journalists; and for police killings of peaceful protesters.

Meanwhile, its 40-year territorial dispute with Cyprus, which is seeing Nicosia block several chapters, shows no sign of going away.

On Tuesday, Cyprus suspended UN-led peace talks after Turkey said it will send a warship to protect gas exploration in a disputed maritime zone.

MEPs, at a valedictory hearing with the EU’s outgoing enlargement commissioner, Stefan Fuele, on Wednesday praised him for shepherding Serbia to “make a strategic choice in the direction of the European Union” and for keeping Turkey’s “commitment to the EU alive”.

For his part, Fuele said that despite “enlargement fatigue” in EU states “when a country delivers on European reforms, we deliver on the European perspective”.

But he voiced concern on two new trends in the region - parliamentary boycotts and the gagging of free press.

“There is another phenomenon which is there, a reform fatigue, which is equally as important [as EU enlargement fatigue”, he said.

The lack of new recommendations on Western Balkan steps comes after incoming commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said there will be no new EU countries during his five years in office.

Juncker also downgraded the “enlargement” portfolio, renaming it “enlargement negotiations”, and giving it to Johannes Hahn of Austria, one of the most enlargement-sceptic EU countries.

Winter coming?

One EU official told EUobserver it is “not true” that enlargement is heading into a chilly period.

“We have work in progress and proceed ahead full steam based on achievements by the partners”, he said. Noting the mixed bag of problems in the region, he added: “So what could be the new recommendations this year anyway?”

A second EU official said: “They don’t want to admit it openly, but what we are seeing is a de facto freeze on enlargement”.

He added that “DG Enlargement” - the 900-or-so commission staff who work on the policy coal-face - are also to be given a lower status under Hahn’s tenure.

“Just wait till you see the new organigramme [on Hahn’s administrative hierarchy]”, the contact said.