LOCAL PRESS

 

Vucic: We have exited a frozen conflict and it can only become worse (Beta/Politika/Tanjug)

 

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that he feared that Belgrade and Pristina had exited from the situation of frozen conflict and that matters between the two peoples could only deteriorate. “I am afraid that we have exited the situation of a frozen conflict and that it can only become worse. There are dangerous announcements of the Mayor of south Mitrovica Bahtiri on unification with the north Serb part of the town, there are dangerous announcements about Trepca”, Vucic stated. “For us the most important thing is to keep the peace. The period that lies ahead of us is not an easy one, but we will strive and fight to preserve peace and stability and our national interests,” Vucic told journalists after touring the Mother and Child Health Care Institute. Vucic said that negotiations with Pristina could not continue until Pristina canceled the tax. He said that the citizens would soon decide in a vote who would be the opposition and who the government.

 

Dacic: Serbia paid 700mn of Kosovo's debt - and we'll pay more (B92/Tanjug)

 

In the past twenty years, Serbia has paid about 700 million Euros of Kosovo's debt and will continue to do so, Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said on Tuesday. "When debt needs to be paid off, then they are a part of Serbia. When there's property to be grabbed, then they are an independent state," Dacic told reporters in Belgrade, referring to the behavior of the Kosovo Albanians. He added that there are still 200 million Euros in debt and loans left, and that Serbia will continue to pay this money back. "They are waiting for us to pay that, to then they say, 'starting tomorrow, Trepca is ours'. They say they are an independent state - but they don't want to pay off their debt," Dacic added.

 

Dacic: Support to solving crisis in Venezuela through dialogue (Beta)

 

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic told Deputy Foreign Minister of Venezuela Ivan Gil that Serbia’s and Venezuela’s relations are characterized by a long friendship, reflected in mutual support on the international plan, expressing appreciation for the country's principled position on Kosovo and Metohija, as well as voting against the so-called Kosovo in Interpol and UNESCO. Dacic pointed out that Serbia is pursuing a principled policy based on respect for international law, non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states and the settlement of disputes peacefully. He pointed out that Serbia understands the difficult situation in Venezuela and welcomed the dialogue as a way to reach a lasting solution to the crisis in that country. Gil confirmed the consistent support of Venezuela regarding Kosovo and Metohija.

 

Kocijancic: Final agreement between Serbia and Kosovo needs to be sustainable and realistic (Tanjug)

 

In the light of Minister Dacic’s statement that “the delineation is Belgrade’s official proposal in the negotiations with Pristina”, European Commission spokesperson Maja Kocijancic assessed for Tanjug that the final agreement needs to be “implementable, sustainable and realistic”.

“The work on a legally binding agreement on comprehensive normalization that would lead to a lasting, implementable and sustainable solution for all open questions, based on mutual acceptance, in line with international and EU law and acceptable for all member states, is currently ongoing,” stated Kocijancic. She repeated that the comprehensive, legally binding agreement on normalization, which is covering all open issues, is “urgent and crucial” for the progress of Serbia and Kosovo on their EU paths, as well as peace and stability in the region.

 

Schieb: Doors to the EU open for Western Balkans as soon as countries are ready (Beta)

 

German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb said that Europe was incomplete without the Western Balkans and that the doors to EU membership would open for the countries of the region when they were ready. At a conference titled The World in Turmoil: The Future of Europe and the Balkans, Schieb said that Germany supported the EU's enlargement but that it would have to insist on the rules. The conditions for reforms and the rule of law are clear, battling corruption, improving the position of journalists and the rights of citizens, Schieb said at the Belgrade Institute of Social Sciences. Speaking about Chapter 31 in the accession talks between Serbia and the EU, which pertains to adjustments for a joint foreign policy, Schieb said that the adjustments sometimes equaled sanctions against Russia, but that this was a simplified interpretation. Schieb said that the latest European Commission and European foreign affairs service report described Serbia as "a moderately ready" country. Cooperation with the EU does not mean less cooperation with third countries, like Russia and China. Serbia must guarantee that its cooperation with Russia does not violate its obligations as an EU candidate country, he added. He said that Germany was working hard to achieve a unified EU foreign policy and was closely cooperating with France to strengthen Europe, recalling the recently renewed Elysee Treaty.

 

Djuric: We’ll never give up on creation of ZSO (N1)

 

The Head of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Marko Djuric has stated Serbia will never stop insisting on the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), a part of the Brussels Agreement signed in 2013, N1 reported. Djuric said he was grateful to local Serbs, loyal to Belgrade, for not trying to form the ZSO on their own. “No one in Pristina or anywhere else should hope we will give up on the CSM. Gentlemen, you put your signatures, and we will insist that you honor what you signed till the last letter and not to do whatever you want,” Djuric said.

Djuric and deputy Belgrade Mayor Goran Vesic signed a protocol on cooperation among Belgrade and Kosovo Serb municipalities. “We have to be present in Kosovo in local governance equally as the state and the city, to show to the world that we stand by the most endangered people, and the most endangered Serbs in Europe,” Vesic said.

 

Gojkovic thanks Kenya for its principled position regarding Kosovo (Tanjug)

 

In talks with Kenyan Foreign Minister Monica Juma, Serbian parliament speaker Maja Gojkovic thanked Kenya for its principled position on international law i.e. for not recognizing the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija and respecting Serbia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. She also thanked Kenya for never voting contrary to Serbia’s interests in international forums. Foreign Minister Juma said that Kenya has always had a consistent stance on international law and the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo and Metohija which it will not change. Juma said that the country appreciates Serbia’s commitment to dialogue and reaching a peaceable solution, opining that imposing a 100% customs tax on goods from Serbia proper was a wrong move, one that harms both the ones it was directed against, as well as the ones who imposed it.

 

Serbian goods arrive on Kosovo market through alternative routes (RTS)

 

Serbian Trade Minister Rasim Ljajic told RTS that Serbian goods are available across Kosovo because they are being brought in through alternative routes. He says that Serbian goods are available in shops in the north and south of Kosovo and recalled that Serbian officials warned of the appearance of a black market when Pristina imposed 100 percent taxes. “We have a situation in which our wheat goes to Croatia and is transported and sold in Kosovo as Croatian wheat. Some goods are sold to business people in Macedonia before being re-exported to Kosovo,” the minister said. Ljajic said that some 90 million Euros less worth of Serbian goods were exported to Kosovo than in the same period a year earlier because of the tariffs. He warned that Serbian businesses would lose the Kosovo market if the taxes remain in place. “We have seen businesses from Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Albania and Macedonia step in offering their products as an alternative,” he said.

 

Jeremic: Delineation fig leaf for recognizing Kosovo (Beta)

 

The leader of the People’s Party and chairman of the Alliance for Serbia (SzS) Vuk Jeremic said that delineation, which Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic is representing as Belgrade’s official stance in negotiations with Pristina, was a “fig leaf” for recognizing Kosovo and asked how can something that the Serbian parliament has not been notified of, let alone decided on, be state policy? In a written statement Jeremic said that the proposal for demarcation violates the Serbian Constitution and oath that Aleksandar Vucic took when he assumed the position of president. “For months we have warned that something like this was in the works, as well as that delineation is a fig leaf for recognizing the so-called Republic of Kosovo, which will further spread the problem to southern Serbia and whereby we will permanently forfeit our rights and interests in Kosovo and Metohija,” Jeremic was quoted as saying by the SzS. He asked the regime how delineation, i.e. recognizing the so-called state of Kosovo can be state policy.

Jeremic added that the opposition bloc favored a compromise on the issue of Kosovo in accordance with the Constitution of Serbia and UNSCR 1244, as well as that before resolving the issue of status, property issues and questions linked to the human rights of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija needed to be resolved.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Dodik: No consensus on membership in NATO (Srna)

 

The Chairman of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency, Milorad Dodik, informed the newly-appointed US Ambassador to B&H, Eric George Nelson, about the fact that there is no consensus in B&H on membership in NATO, but that there is commitment to cooperation.

“We are committed to cooperation with NATO and have certain arrangements through the Partnership for Peace and individual cooperation program. Our soldiers are taking part in various missions within NATO, but I would like to tell you that there is no consensus on the accession to NATO. This is the issue which is on the agenda, unlike the EU, on which there is consensus. We will have time to clarify all issues,” Dodik told Nelson, who presented his credentials to him.

Dodik has said that the High Representative stayed for too long in B&H and that he hopes that this will be corrected as soon as possible and that this office will be closed. “We want your help. We are committed to the European integration. Today, the Republika Srpska (RS) government adopted all decisions in connection with answers to the European Commission’s Questionnaire. We expect other government levels to do the same, by which conditions will be created to hand them over to Brussels,” Dodik said. According to him, there are open issues in B&H regarding a possible consensus on coexistence in B&H. “The B&H Constitution, which is an integral part of the Dayton Agreement, is our foundation, the creation of which your country helped,” Dodik said. Dodik has said that B&H appreciates the role and position of the US at the time when the war was stopped and after the war, during the peace stabilization process. “You arrived in a country which is characterized by complexity. It is comprised of the two entities and the three constituent peoples,” Dodik said. Dodik said that peace has been maintained in B&H since 1995 and that this is a great heritage of these peoples. “I wish all the best to you, your associates and your president,” Dodik said. Nelson wished good cooperation during his term in B&H. “I am glad to help, together with you and your colleagues in the Presidency, your country to progress towards the partnership with NATO and the EU, which are its set objectives,” Nelson said during his first meeting with Dodik. After a short address to reporters, Dodik and Nelson resumed their meeting behind closed doors.

 

Cvijanovic: Other government levels in B&H to complete procedure as soon as possible (Srna)

 

RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic organized a meeting with RS officials dedicated to the European integration process where the participants expressed satisfaction over the fact that the RS government was the first in B&H to verify translated answers to additional questions from the European Commission’s Questionnaire. The meeting was attended, among others, by RS Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, the Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation, Zlatan Klokic, the Minister of Administration and Local Self Government, Lejla Resic, Finance Minister Zora Vidovic, and a member of the RS parliament and a candidate for chairman of the B&H Council of Ministers, Zoran Tegeltija. The participants of the meeting expressed expectations that other government levels in B&H will conduct the same procedure as soon as possible so that B&H’s answers to additional questions could be sent to the European Commission as soon as possible, says a press release from the office of the RS President. They gave their support to B&H’s European integration and once again stressed that all issues in connection with this process must be harmonized through structures and rules of the agreed system of coordination of the European integration process, with full respect for the constitutional status and jurisdictions of RS and its institutions. They agreed that a new Council of Ministers needs to be formed as soon as possible, since only thus appropriate conditions will be created for efficient communication between the Entities and joint B&H institutions. Conditions will thus be created to fulfill very demanding tasks facing B&H, particularly the entities, in the integration process in the coming period.

 

B&H authorities apprehend five suspected terrorists among migrants (N1)

 

B&H authorities discovered six Afghan migrants, five of which are suspected terrorists, and the sixth is suspected of smuggling and organized crime. The State Security Minister Dragan Mektic confirmed this information, saying they were placed under supervision in the Istocno Sarajevo Migrant Centre. “They were apprehended, and we’re investigating other information regarding the case and how they entered Bosnia, illegally,” Mektic said. “We’re investigating the route they took, and when we get enough information, we will decide on their fate.” The suspects entered B&H in the first two months of this year and were residing among the migrants in the northern town of Bihac and the capital of Sarajevo. Thanks to the exchange of information between the local and foreign security agencies, inspectors of the State Foreigners Affairs Agency discovered the suspects during security screenings of migrants. The said suspects are men, aged between 22 and 30. They are awaiting B&H authorities to positively establish their identities so they could be expelled from the country. Last year B&H recorded some 25,000 migrants who entered the country illegally in a bid to get to Western European countries. Most of them left the country, and some 10,000 are still residing in migrant centers across the country.  According to the Security Ministry, B&H can expect additional 25,000 migrants in 2019, and the State Border Police expects the first wave of migrants to come with the arrival of spring.

 

Zaev says he’s looking into between four and six potential presidential candidates (Republika)

 

Zoran Zaev informed that his ruling coalition is considering between four and six potential presidential candidates. On Tuesday he met with representatives of the two smaller ethnic Albanian political parties in his coalition – DPA and Alternative (BESA), and said that he will try to meet with Albanian opposition leaders as well in his search for what he calls a “consensual” candidate. It is important that this concept is supported and we see there is favorable mood among the parties, but after we decide on a specific proposal I have to relay that to the party and we will examine whether he is acceptable. We have between 4 and 6 candidates who are favored to win according to the polls and I would not like to name who is leading. You will find out next week, Zaev said, adding that he is open to candidates from other parties, not necessarily SDSM. The concept of a “consensual” candidate was pushed by the DUI party, and it is expected that it would be an ethnic Macedonian candidate, chosen by SDSM, but with Albanian approval. Menduh Thaci, from the DPA party, said that it would be best if the candidate for President is proposed by the government, because that would “normalize this policy” of selecting a joint candidate. Afrim Gashi, who leads the BESA splinter group which now goes by Alternative, added that the meeting with Zaev was positive and that Alternative welcomes the idea to have a candidate “acceptable to all citizens” and would be representative of all ethnic, religious and other communities. Gashi said that it would not be acceptable if the candidate has made negative statements toward ethnic Albanians in the past and that it would be good if the nominee is not a party official.

 

Sekerinska: I do not have Serbian spies in my cabinet (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska denies that there are military intelligence officers in her cabinet, as well as in the General Staff, who cooperate with intelligence services from non-NATO countries, of which there was an alleged warning from Brussels. In a statement for Nezavisen vesnik, the defense minister explained that after receiving the membership pass for NATO, we ourselves have asked the international partners to help us in carrying out the vetting procedure on the employees. "Neither has NATO sent us a vetting team, nor did they announce it, either in written or verbally has someone asked us to dismiss or change military officials who allegedly cooperated with foreign services, primarily with the Serbian services," Sekerinska said. Following her reaction, VMRO-DPMNE Vice-President Aleksandar Nikoloski said that NATO directions to the army have been received, warning that there are people in exceptionally high positions in the Sekerinska cabinet and the foreign staff, who are collaborators of foreign services. "We are talking about countries that are not part of NATO and therefore the Alliance is keeping internal information out of reach for these countries. These officials must be removed, retired or deployed in lower positions so that Macedonia can be a credible partner," said Nikoloski. The opposition alludes above all to Goran Vasilevski, who took over the military intelligence after the change of power. He was stripped of his security certificate in 2012, after which he complained to a second instance commission, but received a negative response. He filed a lawsuit to the Administrative Court, but lost the case in 2013. In 2017, he was appointed Chief of Military Intelligence and regained his Security Certificate. "In the past few months, Vasilevski had meetings with representatives of several services, from the United States through the Czech Republic, up to Germany. If the NATO partners thought that he was collaborating with Serbian services, a country that is not part of the military alliance, would you exchange information with him?" Sekerinska explained for Nezavisen vesnik. The alleged reactions from the NATO team arrived in Skopje last month, and therefore, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Intelligence and Security Arndt Loringhofer arrived to the country. He had a meeting with Defense Minister Sekerinska, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, and with the leadership of VMRO-DPMNE. At his meeting with Zaev, according to the government press service, Loringhofer expressed his support in the direction of the reforms and legal legislation that is brought in the part of the professionalization and efficiency of the security services. In fact, support was provided for the law on separation of UBK from the Ministry of the Interior, which is still in process, but expressed concern that the formation of a coordinative body is planned under the auspices of the prime minister, which is why he fears that too much power will yet again end up in the hands of one man. As for NATO, they are especially cautious when they accept countries from the former communist bloc in their ranks, fearing that in institutions that are on the first line of cooperation there are opponents of joining the Alliance, so they keep their confidential information safe. As Nezavisen vesnik reported in December of last year, NATO urged the government to re-examine and issue all security permits in the country so that, after accepting Macedonia as a full-fledged member state, it can be sure that internal information from member states and the Alliance will not be leaked or abused. The reform of the intelligence and security services was one of the three key requirements of the Alliance in the negotiations with Macedonia after the implementation of the Prespa Agreement and the defense reforms. The discovery that the Security and Intelligence Directorate was involved in the preparation of April 27, ie the coup attempt and that a representative of the president's office with a security clearance took part, made these requirements even more important for NATO. "We must be sure that everyone involved in some way in the information sharing system with NATO has the appropriate security clearance. That was not the case in the past. This applies to persons from the Ministries of Interior and Defense, the relevant committees in the parliament, but mostly to the UBK and other intelligence services. We see the readiness of the government to do so," stated a NATO official for Nezavisen vesnik, adding that it was a process that would take place gradually and could go on even after Macedonia's accession to the Alliance.

 

Serbia accuses Zaev of working with its opposition to undermine President Vucic (Republika)

 

Serbian Defense Minister Aleksandar Vulin accused Zoran Zaev of turning Macedonia into a base of operations to destabilize the Serbian government and President Aleksandar Vucic. Vulin condemned the recent meeting between Zaev and Serbian opposition leader Dragan Djilas and said that funding for Serbian opposition protests and activities is being diverted through Skopje.

“Once Budapest was hotbed of intelligence activities against Serbia, an area where spies from the entire region were given funding and support, and now that is Skopje and all attacks on Serbia and President Vucic come through there. The reason is the firm position of President Vucic that Serbia will not allow to be ruled by the Ambassadors, and this has put him in the cross-hairs of their intelligence services,” Minister Vulin said. Serbia is under pressure to agree to a deal with Kosovo, and Vucic is constantly called upon to follow the example of Zoran Zaev and Alexis Tsipras and sign a deal under which Serbia would presumably recognize Kosovo’s independence. Protests similar to the Colored Revolution which was used to bring down the Nikola Gruevski Government in Macedonia and install Zaev in his place are now going on in Belgrade. Serbia has also accused Zaev of working with businessmen and media outlets associated with the Serbian opposition. Vucic has also frequently compared opposition actions in Serbia with the political events in Macedonia in the past several years. Zaev’s government kept quiet about the meeting with Djilas. Djilas’ opposition bloc informed that he met with Zaev and discussed the protests in Serbia and discussed future cooperation.

 

Bulgaria ratified Macedonia’s NATO Accession Protocol (Meta)

 

With 140 votes in favor of and without any withheld or against, this morning, the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria ratified the Protocol for the Accession of the Republic of North Macedonia into NATO. The session was attended by the President of the Macedonian Parliament, Talat Xhaferi and the Vice Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, Ekaterina Zaharieva who said that the policy of NATO enlargement is considered to be one of the most successful prosperity instruments. “Bulgaria is a constant supporter for North Macedonia’s accession into NATO. Bulgaria accepted the task to work on speeding up the process of this country’s North-Atlantic integration, including the inner reforms and the stabilization of the region. The NATO membership is marking a new phase regarding both countries’ relations,” said Zaharieva. The session wasn’t attended by MPs from the opposition Bulgarian Socialist Party who are boycotting the Parliament due to the changes in the Election Code. Before the plenary session, Xhaferi has met with his Bulgarian colleague, Cveta Karajancheva, and has expressed his gratitude for the efforts and the support that Sofia has given for the European and the Euro-Atlantic integrations.

 

70 ISIS fighters returned to Macedonia (Nezavisen vesnik)

 

The information about the thwarted terrorist attack in the country has upset the citizens. The few details that were announced this weekend left many unanswered questions. The police action was realized shortly after getting a pass for NATO membership, which in itself could be a challenge for the terrorists of the phantom "Islamic State" to attack the small Balkan country. The Basic Public Prosecutor's Office yesterday briefly stated that they are recruiting the seized items of the radical members of ISIS who returned to Macedonia after the fighting in Syria and Iran. The Interior Ministry, meanwhile, informs that after having received information from the services of one partner country that a terrorist act is being prepared in the country, they have taken actions to detect the organizers, logisticians and the potential attackers. Searches were carried out on several locations across the country, whereby objects and devices connected with the possible attack were seized. "The Ministry of Internal Affairs continues to implement actions, measures and activities that are working to ensure the safety of citizens," the Ministry of Internal Affairs said, not wanting to get into details. According to information from the security services, about 150 Macedonian citizens went to fight for ISIS, and about thirty were killed. Seventy have returned and they are a ticking bomb, despite the fact that the Middle East conflicts, as well as the attacks in Europe, are no longer as intense as they were until three years ago, when the power of the Islamists was at a much higher level. "They were heavily armed and strongly indoctrinated, so everything depends on how they will experience the real situation in the country, because under the influence of their previous backgrounds they can express their extremism and radicalism at any given moment, especially if they feel victimized or they cannot adapt in our system," warn experts. According to them, "the threes, "the fives" and "the sevens", that is, the groups that operate with that many people, are the biggest danger to the European countries. These are "frozen" terrorist cells, people who are among us, who cannot be distinguished by their behavior, who are actually trained to commit attacks when they get their orders to do so. According to the way they operate, they first record the terrain, observe the people, build logistic support and as soon as they complete all the preparations - they carry out the attack. They are formed in a group of smaller number of people so they can be more flexible, more dynamic, and have easier communication with each other. They are impeccably organized, they only contact one person of the higher circles who, on the other hand, do not know those who are above him. Communication is conducted in codes, using pseudonyms or nicknames, as well as colloquial language, and even if monitored by services, it is difficult to recognize. ISIS has repeatedly threatened that it will organize a series of terrorist attacks in Macedonia, as well as in Serbia, Kosovo and Albania, calling on Muslims from the Balkans to follow the "call of the caliphate", that is, to establish an Islamic system. So far, Macedonia was not considered to be a target to Islamists, but it is primarily the countries that are part of the coalition that is carrying out military operations against them. “But now that our country is practically a NATO member state, we must be more cautious," alert the security services. The US Embassy in Skopje, as well as Bulgaria, warned their citizens who are staying in Macedonia to be vigilant. "There is a heightened risk of terrorist attacks inspired by extremist ideology in North Macedonia.  Terrorist organizations and individuals inspired by extremist ideology are intent on attacking civilians, including U.S. citizens traveling abroad.  Terrorists increasingly use less sophisticated methods to target crowds in public places, including pistols, vehicles, and edged weapons. Terrorist attacks and other security incidents often take place without any warning, and U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance.  Extremists increasingly aim to identify and attack “soft targets,” such as: shopping malls and markets, airports, hotels, clubs and restaurants, places of worship, schools, parks, and high-profile public events (sporting contests, political rallies, demonstrations, holiday events, celebratory gatherings, etc.), was in the message of the US Embassy in the country. ISIS practically suffered defeat in Syria and many of the fighters were captured or fled across Europe and beyond.

 

US Embassy: Opposition's decision undermines the principles of democracy (ADN)

 

The US Embassy has reacted on Tuesday about the last decision of the opposition's parties to 'burn' the parliamentary mandates. According to the Embassy, threats by opposition's parties undermines the basic principles of Democracy. "A healthy democracy requires an opposition that operates constructively within constitutional institutions. Threats by the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration, and other opposition parties to abandon their mandates in Parliament undermine the basic principles of democracy and subvert the important progress Albania has achieved on rule of law and responsible governance. The United States calls on all MPs to rise above the political fray, reject calls to abandon their mandates, and defend the ideals and principles central to any vibrant democracy. If you fail to do your job, you fail the people you are privileged to serve," said the Embassy.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

Lavrov slams West for dragging Balkans into NATO, while turning deaf ear to its peoples (TASS, 20 February 2019)

 

MOSCOW. The West is unceremoniously pressuring Balkan nations into becoming NATO members in total disregard of the people of these nations, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a conference in honor of the late Russian Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin held in the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday. "The West is advancing its brazen policy of dragging this region into NATO in total disregard of the countries’ people, in addition to ignoring the lessons of history or simple diplomatic courtesies," Lavrov said. He stressed that Russia had been long and persistently calling on "going back to the basics - back to the basic principles of international relations written in the UN Charter and the OSCE’s documents, that is, the sovereign equality of states, non-interference in domestic affairs, refraining from the threat or use of force, and conflict resolution by peaceful means."

 

Berlin Process before and after the Summit of Poznan (European Western Balkans, by Gentiola Madhi, 19 February 2019)

 

In the frame of the Berlin Process, the leaders of the Western Balkans will reconvene on 4-5 July for the annual summit at the premises of the Polish city of Poznan. This is the fifth high level meeting of this type and probably also the last one for the moment, to be followed up by a period of reflection and evaluation on its achievements, as well as on the potential addressing of criticisms raised on its limited inclusiveness of the EU participating countries. In the first years of its existence, in front of a disengaged European Union and contrasting interests between some member states with regards to the enlargement policy, the Berlin process managed to generate a positive momentum and enable a missed direct communication between the leaders of the region on how to collectively materialize regional cooperation concrete policy areas. The limited number of participating countries and the concrete focus on predetermined areas allowed for the ripping of some concrete outcomes such as the establishment of RYCO, the approval of a list of investment projects in transport and energy, etc. However, over time, the process seems to have been losing somehow its sight and has been conducive to alternative choices, instead of continuing with the already marked course. In this sense, opting on holding the 2018 Summit in UK or this year’s in Poland does not seem to be the best resolution in town. At first, because of the odd approach followed by the Berlin Process leading country to include new participating countries in the process without any clear criteria, let alone these countries’ national priorities. Then, there is the over-expanding of the policy areas included in the Berlin Process agenda, which not always follows in a coherent and consistent manner the work done by the previous hosting country of the annual summit. Each hosting country tries to show its peculiarities, without prioritizing often the need of the Western Balkan region and the necessity to capitalize on what has already been done. The Summit of Poznan per se is presently being prepared in a climate of uncertainty, on both sides of Europe. Both the European Union and the leading countries of the Berlin process have to deal firstly with their own domestic issues and encountering of the populistic tendencies. What does not play in Poland’s favour is the general downgrading of expectations on the basis of the past summits’ experiences and the approaching European Parliament elections. Nobody knows how the Union will look like after the elections, and the exclusion of Western Balkans from the agenda of Sibiu Summit of May 2019 (organized by the Romanian Presidency) is a sign of already past hour and momentum of this region. On their side, the Western Balkan governments have not strived enough to effectively materialize the undertaken commitments in the frame of the Berlin Process. Today the region reflects features of general resistance to democratic reform processes, citizens’ lack of trust and illiberal tendencies. In the frame of the Poznan Summit, Poland has voiced its readiness to provide political and technical support so as to enhance the EU reform processes in the Balkans, although at the domestic level this country is still facing issues with regard to the rule of law. This fact puts into question the overall architecture of the enlargement process, as the transformation power of the Union may be a reversible process even if a country is a member state. At the moment, it is unclear if and how the Berlin Process will evolve after the Summit in Poznan. But it is even less clear to what extent this summit may serve as a push forward to the second term of Berlin process, as at the current state of play the undertaken commitments are still on the on-hold mood. What Poland and the Visegrad group’s experience in general can provide to the Berlin Process framework and to the Western Balkans in particular is an embedded cooperation practice between the civil society organizations, as well as their know-how on reconciliation and regional identity. In this regard, they have a proven track record which definitively can serve as an example. What the Western Balkans can definitively learn from the Visegrad countries in general is precisely the creation of a pragmatic and systematic structured dialogue in order to tackle issues of regional interest and progressively contribute in the raising of mutual trust.

Gentiola Madhi is a Research Associate at Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso – Transeuropa