The scandal related to corruption in EULEX undermines the credibility of the EU in western Balkans, assessed Vienna-based daily ‘Wiener Zeitung’.

In an editor’s opinion, the editor-in-chief of the Wiener Zeitung, Reinhard Goweil, writes that the ongoing affair has a potential to discredit the EU in Balkans. He said that permanent solution is needed for Kosovo in order that Serbia could access the EU, and that this is also a decisive matter for ambitions of Albania too.

“If EULEX fails that would be a fierce blow to Balkans. Even though there won’t be enlargement of the EU in next five years, as President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker decided so, there is still the need for countries in that region to be supported as much as possible,” writes Wiener Zeitung and adds that neither Brussels’ institutions nor EULEX would be deemed as accountable ones if the scandal related to corruption is pushed under the carpet.

Goweil asks how could the EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn ask for fight against corruption in Balkans if Brussels turns its head aside. Paper further brings that Austrian FM should react as soon as possible, because scandal must be completely resolved, whereas EULEX mission should be structured more efficiently.

The paper writes that EULEX is in the focus of the corruption scandal, which can’t be more hideous, and points out that it is about accusations for bribery of the mission officials from Italy and Great Britain, who used to release criminals to freedom in exchange for money.

At the same time paper reminds that EULEX is the biggest EU mission, which numbers 1600 employees and costs EUR 90 million annually, aimed at setting the rule of law, in line with the EU standards, in Kosovo, which unilaterally declared independence in 2008.

Paper further writes that huge failures could be seen already in the process of addressing the case. A critic of an EU auditor, who established that the mission is too expensive, and didn’t reach the goals has evaporated silently. European Commission is in charge for EULEX, along with the Council of the EU, but somewhere between the Brussels’ responsibility has somehow vanished, highlighted Wienner Zeitung.