On January 1, Romania assumed the presidency of the European Union. Until June 30, Bucharest will be the center of many European events.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker commented on this in unusually directly with a statement expressing suspicion that Romania was ready for the role, Sarajevo-based Dnevni Avaz is reporting.
The Serb Republic (RS) will separate from Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), above all because Serbs are extremely dissatisfied with the common life.
Former British diplomat Timothy Less told this to Belgrade weekly NIN in an interview.
Russia in trying in different places, not only in the Balkans but also in Europe, to show the weakness and incompetence, primarily of the EU, says Ivan Vejvoda.
"The weakening and slowing down of the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans opens up space for countries like Russia, and not only for them, but in different ways for both China and Turkey, and even for the Arab Emirates - the space for certain political and economic, and I would say religious activities," Vejvoda said.
The strengthening of the presence of NATO and the EU in the Balkans leads to a deeper destabilization of Europe, Sergei Lavrov has said to the Greek daily Efimerida Syntakton, quotes portal B92.
The Russian foreign minister pointed out that Moscow is concerned about these aspirations.
The European Union has to take a united stand on the Western Balks or others will shape its neighbourhood, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker warned on Wednesday.
“We must find unity when it comes to the Western Balkans – once and for all. Should we not, our immediate neighbourhood will be shaped by others,” he said in his state of the union address to the EP.
US Senator and Chairman of the State Security Committee, Ron Johnson, will visit Greece, FYROM, Serbia and Kosovo next week, confirms the US Embassy in Belgrade to Radio Free Europe, reports daily Danas.
Johnson should be in Belgrade Monday and Tuesday. During his mission in the Balkans, he will meet with regional leaders.
Senator Johnson is one of the high-ranking associates of US President Donald Trump, in charge of special missions.
Serbian Defence Minister Aleksandar Vulin has fiercely criticized former High Representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina Paddy Ashdown for warning against changes to borders in the Balkans.
“How was that not dangerous when Yugoslavia was being broken up,” Vulin told TV Pink on Thursday.
The Western Balkans Summit in London this week achieved little in advancing the region's EU prospects, the Financial Times writes.
Op-ed by Florian Bieber, professor at the University of Graz and coordinator of the Balkans in Europe Policy Advisory Group (BiEPAG). Bieber will be a speaker on the event “Beyond Berlin: What Does the Next Decade Hold for the Western Balkans?”, organized by Chatham House, European Fund for the Balkans and DG Near in London on 10 July.
See more at: https://europeanwesternbalkans.com/2018/07/10/time-ditch-berlin-process/
“White House is in organizational chaos, therefore one should not expect there would be any new proposals or initiative in Washington when it comes to the Balkan issues, including the Kosovo issue,” Gregory Raymond, International Relations Professor from Boise University told Danas daily.
According to Raymond it never occurred in a modern American history to have more unfilled places in the government, including ambassadors in states where USA presence is needed, nor have so many people left their positions, either due to corruption or frustration.