LOCAL PRESS

 

Brnabic thanks Chinese President for principled support for Serbia’s territorial integrity (Tanjug)

 

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Shanghai on Monday. They discussed bilateral economic and political relations and Sino-Serbian cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road mechanism. Brnabic thanked Xi for Beijing’s principled support for Serbia’s territorial integrity, reiterating that Serbia was supporting China’s policy. According to Tanjug sources at Brnabic’s office, Xi pledged to visit Serbia and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic next year. “I promise I will find the time next year - in 2020 - to visit my friend Aleksandar Vucic in Serbia,” Xi told Brnabic.

 

Vucic: Resumption of dialogue possible within two-three months (RTS/Tanjug)

 

I believe conditions will be created for resumption of dialogue regarding the Kosovo issue within two-three months, while we expect the dialogue will lead to a compromise solution, President Vucic said after talks with Mathew Palmer. “I am satisfied with talks with Palmer, because we examined all disputable issues, resolute to seek solutions that would enable better bilateral relations between Serbia and the US, and a constructive approach and attempt to return to dialogue in relations with Pristina,” said Vucic. According to him, we want the dialogue to be serious, responsible and to lead towards a compromise solution. Serbia is ready for compromise and it will not be ready for its own humiliation of its people in Kosovo and Metohija and the state. “We have never pointed to any kind of extreme, radical requests, we haven’t asked what anyone else cannot accept, we have always talked about compromise. Likewise, those who think to humiliate Serbia, and this is not a direct address to Palmer, that it is possible to pressure Serbia and force it on something that is not in its interests, that is not possible,” said Vucic.

 

Vucic: We will not have easy position regarding Kosovo and Metohija issue (Tanjug)

 

Serbia will not have an easy position when it comes to resolving the Kosovo and Metohija issue because the US is advocating solely a recognition of Kosovo's independence, and that will not change, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said Friday, adding that he was expecting to see the EU stance on the matter. When asked by reporters to comment on a statement by US official Philip Reeker - who has said normalization would lead to a mutual recognition by Serbia and Kosovo - and whether the Serbian public was aware of Western pressures, Vucic responded that, every day, he was trying to speak the truth: that Kosovo was an independent state for the US. "That is all they care about and everything else is trifles, but that is the substance. I am not one of those who will say 'things have changed and it will be different'. Whatever administration the US may have, it will expect a recognition of Kosovo," he said. "But I am expecting the EU to state its stance, because they did not tell us at the beginning that a recognition of Kosovo is the end of the process, but that it is the signing of a binding document that would create conditions for normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina or Serbia and Kosovo. There was no mention of an explicit recognition of Kosovo. We are waiting to see what they will say," Vucic said.

 

Dacic: Serbia has strengthened its foreign policy position (Tanjug)

 

In a statement after Thursday’s UN Security Council session on Kosovo and Metohija, Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said there was a noticeable change in the international community’s approach to the Kosovo problem and that no calls had been made at the session to recognize the so-called Kosovo, which he said was a rare occurrence. There is a noticeable, big difference compared to what UN SC sessions on Kosovo and Metohija used to look like in the past, he told Tanjug. “Evidently, Serbia has greatly strengthened its foreign policy position, and President Aleksandar Vucic's activities and his attendance at one of the previous Security Council sessions and our overall policy have contributed to a better understanding of the situation concerning Kosovo and Metohija,” Dacic said. “Things have changed, but we cannot be satisfied with the situation in Kosovo and Metohija and with the way all the international obligations Pristina has undertaken are being met, and that is why continued Security Council debates on Kosovo and Metohija are necessary,” he said. Dacic said that the main message of the meeting was related to UNMIK’s report on the 28 May incident, when Kosovo police arrested two UN Mission officers, adding that it has not happened until today that no one issued a call at a Security Council session for other countries to recognize Kosovo. A press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs quoted Dacic as saying that Zahir Tanin, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, presented conclusions of the report. Those conclusions are, as he put it, that the arrested were on duty, that they did not overstep their authorities, that the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations was violated, that severe physical injuries were inflicted on them and that court proceedings are being carried out against them. “The most important conclusion is that Pristina is urged to punish all who are responsible,” said Dacic. We took the opportunity at the session to present all examples regarding the violation of Serbs’ rights in Kosovo and Metohija, to point out the lies Pristina is using, starting with the story of decolonization, then how they were not allowed to use their own language and script in Serbia and Yugoslavia, and finally this alleged attempted poisoning of Election Commission members during the counting of Serbian votes, said Dacic. “I called on the international community to state its view on the matter, but also to state its view on the positions of Kurti, who says that the Brussels Agreement will be a dead letter. What is that supposed to mean? Why have we been negotiating then?,” asked Dacic. He announced the next UN SC session on Kosovo and Metohija was due to be held next April.

 

Godfrey: US wants mutual recognition agreement (Beta/Politika)

 

The new US Ambassador to Serbia Anthoney Godfrey has said that he has no intention

of lecturing Serbian leaders, but that he hopes for an open dialogue, adding that the US stance on Kosovo hasn't changed, and that his country wants a Belgrade-Pristina agreement that, "ideally" will be based on mutual recognition. "I do not plan on approaching Serbian leaders as if want to lecture them. I hope for an open dialogue, and when it's necessary to say something unpleasant, I will say it directly, in private conversations whenever possible, as this makes for the most effective diplomatic work," Godfrey said in an interview with Politika. Commenting on the views maintained by US envoys for the Western Balkans and the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Matthew Palmer and Richard Grenell, respectively, the Ambassador said that the two officials were urging Belgrade and Pristina to restart the talks, and, as he hoped, were encouraging them to reach a solution that both sides would benefit from.

 

REGIONAL PRESS

 

Dodik on Pacolli’s call to Vucic to recognize Kosovo: RS also thinks about its status and future (RTRS)

 

Commenting on the recent statement of outgoing Kosovo Minister of Foreign Affairs Behgjet Pacolli, who called on Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to accept reality and recognize Kosovo, Serb member of Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik stated that those who insist on the story about the independence of Kosovo must be aware that Republika Srpska (RS) also thinks about its status and the future, regardless of the fact that some others do not like this. Dodik stressed that such statements are unacceptable for the RS, adding that Pacolli is not the one to teach anyone a lesson. According to Dodik, B&H was imposed as an obligation although “no one has said why B&H has to be unavoidable and mandatory, and therefore the RS is absolutely against the situation regarding the status of Kosovo.” He assessed that Kosovo is not what Albanians think it is, but it is also a Resolution 1244, stipulating standards prior to the status and the Brussels agreement on the community of Serb municipalities. Dodik noted that the RS and Serbs follow Serbia and the Serbian President understands that very well. He concluded that “the RS does not want double standards and this is the reason why B&H will not recognize the independence of the self-declared Kosovo.”

 

Izetbegovic: If Serbs do not want NATO membership then B&H will not join NATO (RTRS)

 

SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic stated that they will not be heading towards the NATO if RS does not want that, but the Annual National Program (ANP) must be adopted and sent to Brussels. “Nobody will impose anything on anyone in this country. As far as Serbs and the RS are concerned, if they do not want the NATO, we will not be heading to the NATO. There is no membership in the NATO, but the ANP must be sent in order to implement the previously adopted laws and strategies. We cannot give up on the rule of law,” Izetbegovic said in an interview for RTRS. Izetbegovic also said that he would accept situation in which B&H would adjust its tempo on NATO path with Serbia. Izetbegovic also reminded that he signed the agreement on principles of formation of authorities in B&H with SNSD leader Milorad Dodik and HDZ B&H leader Dragan Covic on 5 August, adding that the agreement stipulates that all previously accepted laws and relevant decisions will be respected. Izetbegovic confirmed on Thursday that there are ongoing talks involving advisors to three members of the Presidency of B&H and representatives of the international community, which are aimed at finding a compromise for the ANP and cooperation with NATO. He said that these talks are closed to the public, expressing hope that certain solution will be found. According to Izetbegovic, leaders of SDA, HDZ B&H and SNSD will meet afterwards to discuss distribution of ministerial posts.

 

Izetbegovic’s statement on NATO sparks reactions (N1)

 

SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic stated that B&H will not become NATO member if there is no will of RS and Serbs for it. Izetbegovic’s statement sparked numerous reactions. Reporter commented that SNSD leader and member of the Presidency of B&H Milorad Dodik did not seem to be fascinated by the abovementioned statement, because he said that “of course” B&H will not become part of NATO. Dodik said that leader of SDA Bakir Izetbegovic’s statement does not represent anything new. Also, Dodik reiterated that B&H will not submit its Annual National Program (ANP). Dodik underlined that he has to respect decision of the RS parliament on military neutrality. He rejected claims of SDS that a document representing ANP has been prepared in the Presidency of B&H at the level of advisors. Dodik also said that SNSD will not attend any consultations concerning the ANP. He went on to say that certain document can be adopted, but the first sentence in this document has to read that it cannot be interpreted as the ANP or as the basis for activation of NATO Membership Action Plan (MAP) for B&H. SDP leader Nermin Niksic accused Izetbegovic that he has been giving up on submission of B&H’s Annual National Program (ANP) in a cowardly manner. Niksic added that Izetbegovic never fought to enable citizens to be equal in all parts of B&H. SDS’ official Mladen Bosic interpreted Izetbegovic’s statement as giving up on his condition for formation of B&H authorities (Submission of the ANP). SDS’ Aleksandra Pandurevic accused Izetbegovic and Dodik of faking their conflict. She reminded that SDA and SNSD seem to be in disagreement, but SDA elected four delegates of SNSD into B&H House of People (B&H HoP). Pandurevic added that they are seemingly fighting now, but secretly agreeing on the Annual National Program (ANP). Pandurevic also asked Dodik to explain on whose behalf he discussed the ANP, having in mind Izetbegovic said that they are very close to a compromise. Pandurevic said that it is interesting to see that “Izetbegovic turned over night from the main culprit on RTRS to the main good guy who says that there is no membership in NATO without support of Serbs and that he will not form the authorities without SNSD, but he also announces compromise with regard to the ANP issue”. Pandurevic warned that the ANP, reduced or not, represents a step towards the NATO membership and there can be no withdrawal from it. Pandurevic argued that both Dodik and Izetbegovic are aware of that and claimed that Dodik is willing to “swallow the bitter pill and betray Serb national interests” so Izetbegovic is trying to provide him with an alibi “by saying that there can be no membership in NATO without Serbs”. Speaker of the Federation of B&H House of Representatives (HoR) Mirsad Zaimovic (SDA) said that there is difference between submission of the ANP and NATO membership. He explained that submission of the ANP is defined by B&H laws. “Adoption of the ANP does not imply NATO accession,” explained Zaimovic. Chairman of the B&H Presidency Zeljko Komsic said that only “part of the political elites in B&H” do not support the NATO path of the country, adding “most people actually want us to join NATO”. He concluded that no one has the right to speak on behalf of everyone in B&H, which also means that election results do not give someone the right to make such important decisions on their own. Komsic underlined that he does not see submission of the ANP as a precondition for formation of the Council of Ministers (CoM) of B&H, because it represents rule of law and respecting of the constitutional-legal system of B&H.

 

Dodik says EU decision on Albania and North Macedonia denies those who advocate that every path to EU leads through NATO (EuroBlic)

 

In an interview to the daily, Serb member of the Presidency of B&H and SNSD leader Milorad Dodik commented on the delay of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania and said that the European Union (EU) is faced with crisis within its own borders. “The decision of the EU to practically halt Albania and North Macedonia on their European path denied those who advocate unwritten rule that all paths to the EU lead through the NATO. Albania is already a member of NATO, North Macedonia is expected to become its member in several months, yet they were stopped,” Dodik explained and added that all countries should learn the lesson – the EU cannot be the goal of any of those countries until the EU undoubtedly and clearly says that the Western Balkans countries represent its goal. “Not at the level of promises, but at the level of deadlines,” Dodik said and assessed that the EU, i.e. the European Community at the time, made a mistake in 1990s by not integrating former Yugoslavia in its community. Dodik also argued that at least one half of EU members would be unable to meet preconditions set for new candidates for the membership and he added: “This only proves how unfair the EU is”. Finally, Dodik said that the decision on Albania and North Macedonia should encourage everyone to think whether the partnership with the EU is the only foreign policy course one should have and whether everyone should give up partnership with other powers and large markets such as Russia, China or Turkey. “I suggest we should continue carrying out reforms in the society in line with European legislation, not for the sake of the EU but for the sake of ourselves. We do not necessarily need to be a member of the EU in order to have a better legal, business and every other environment,” Dodik said. He said that Americans labelled him as a person who is blocking the progress of B&H and added that they will keep doing that for “as long as they continue to present their interests as our own and place it above interests of Serb people in B&H and even entire B&H”. Dodik added that he entered the Presidency of B&H as a Serb member, which means that his priority is to represent interests of Serb people and RS where he was elected. Dodik also reminded that neither he nor SNSD are a political factor in the Federation of B&H, yet the Federation of B&H has been left without authorities as well for more than a year. “Who is blocking the progress there?” Dodik wondered. Commenting on the address of US Special Representative for the Western Balkans Matthew Palmer before the US Senate, Dodik said that Palmer proved that he intends to follow the same pattern of behavior as his predecessors and he noted that US President Donald Trump addressed the UN and said the future belongs to sovereign and independent nations which protect their citizens, respect their neighbors and respect differences which make each country special and unique. Dodik added that he fully agrees with Trump and said that it would be good for Palmer to read Trump’s speech. Asked to comment on the fact the US appointed both the Special Representative for the Western Balkans and Special Representative for Talks between Belgrade and Pristina, Dodik said that he thinks this proves there are differences in stances of the White House and State Department when it comes to issues in this part of the world. “There is no consensus in B&H on the necessity of their presence here, i.e. on strengthened presence of American representatives, to solve problems although it is clear that a part of the political scene would be overjoyed if USA got engaged here in such way to impose solutions favorable for Bosniaks,” Dodik said, adding that he thinks that USA, as the world power, has more important topics and more important problems than B&H.

Asked whether the blockade in the formation of authorities might result in engagement of the international community in this process or perhaps even some kind of an international conference on B&H, Dodik replied by saying that the time of such international interventions has passed and he added: “What we currently have in B&H is a direct consequence of meddling of non-elected foreigners in internal matters of B&H”. Dodik went on to say that this “experiment is barely surviving” and added that no international conference on B&H would be possible unless all big powers and participants from B&H and region agree on it. “I do not see the readiness of those powers to agree on this matter,” Dodik said, noting that B&H is facing the crisis but this crisis does not represent a threat to peace and stability in B&H, let alone outside of B&H. Following his announcements that he might withdraw from the Presidency of B&H unless an agreement is reached in Sarajevo, Dodik said that he lowered his expectations about what can be done in Sarajevo even before he went there but he still preserved some optimism and thought progress can be made at least on issues which are not disputable. “However, my readiness to do something was not enough to do anything there. All that was left to do was to at least prevent the Presidency of B&H from causing damage to interest of the RS,” Dodik said. As far as his possible withdrawal is concerned, Dodik said that this is exactly what he had in mind while reconsidering whether he should spend his energy and knowledge on empty talks and fruitless sessions. However, as he said, SNSD decided that he should continue working as the Serb member of the Presidency of B&H regardless of everything so he stayed. “It would be irresponsible towards a high number of our citizens who voted for me to simply withdraw,” Dodik said but he warned that he is unable to implement his ideas that would result in progress without the other two members of the Presidency of B&H. Asked what he will do if SDS leader Mirko Sarovic manages to gather the majority for formation of authorities without SNSD, Dodik replied by saying that “Sarovic is not in a position to gather anything, because that task in B&H organized in current way is reserved for winners”. Dodik noted that it would be better if someone asked Sarovic what he intends to do if he gets any seats in B&H CoM as election loser and added: “Does this mean that he will support the adoption and delivery of the Annual National Program (ANP) in spite of the RS parliament decision on military neutrality”.

 

Komsic: We should not interfere in internal issues of neighboring countries (N1)

 

B&H should not interfere in internal issues of neighboring countries, the Croat member of the tripartite Presidency, Zeljko Komsic, said on Monday after the leader of a Bosniak party in Serbia a day before advocated for defining a Bosniak-majority part of his country as a separate territorial entity. The southern Serbian province of Sandzak should be defined as a separate territorial and political entity with legislative, executive and judicial power to ensure the survival and political existence of the Bosniaks, said Sulejman Ugljanin, the leader of the Sandzak Party of Democratic Action (SDA), on Sunday. “We are right when we cry foul over Croatia and it dictating the tempo of changing the election law and the setup in B&H and when Serbia does the same. Let us not do the same thing and provide arguments to our neighbors so they accuse us of the same thing,” said Komsic.

 

Croatia wants to pass on “enlargement torch” during its EU Presidency (Hina)

 

The issue of EU reforms can proceed in parallel with enlargement and Croatia will try to show that enlargement is a credible process as it is one of the most successful European policies, Croatian ambassador Gordan Bakota has said, adding that Croatia has a special responsibility to pass on the torch of enlargement during its EU presidency. "It is very complex to achieve EU unity on such topics, but we will do our best to show how important enlargement is for the transformation of countries, and we... regret that North Macedonia and Albania were not given a date for opening accession negotiations," he told Danas daily of Saturday on the occasion of Croatia's six-month EU presidency as of January 1, 2020. Bakota said he regretted "perhaps a historic omission because the EU had the responsibility for enlargement to move on." He added, however, that "steps forward will be made" during Croatia's presidency, both regarding the opening of negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania and the continuation of Serbia's EU integration. He said Croatia also wanted to see B&H "make progress on the Euro-Atlantic journey." Bakota noted that Croatia would start its EU presidency "at a very interesting time" because the EU would have new institutions, because of Brexit which "will certainly be one of the main topics," and because of talks on the 2021-27 financial framework. He also mentioned the protection of the EU's external borders, calling that very important for Schengen and for maintaining security. He recalled that the European Commission recently assessed that Croatia met the criteria for joining the Schengen Area of free travel. "The enlargement policy, which is of special importance for Serbia, has outstanding importance for the European Union and its global role" Bakota said. In the first half of May 2020, Croatia will organize a Western Balkans Summit "because we place enlargement very high on our presidency agenda," he said, adding that Croatia looks on enlargement "as a transforming power for every society." He assessed Serbia-Croatia relations as "complex" and said it was very important that "there is uninterrupted dialogue." "It's impossible to expect Serbia and Croatia to resolve all outstanding issues overnight. We'd like Serbian-Croatian relations to always have a strong European context, which is why enlargement and the spirit of enlargement are significant." He recalled the mixed groups and commissions in charge of dealing with outstanding issues, saying the "most sensitive issue" were the people gone missing in the 1990s war. It is time the families find out what happened to their dearest ones, he added. Bakota said there was "certain progress" in dealing with the problems of the Serb minority in Croatia and the Croatian in Serbia, adding that it was very important the two minorities "exchange experiences and recommend to the governments what to do." Ethnic minorities are "the best bridge between the two countries," he said, adding that his and Croatia's position was "that both minorities must feel very good and that this should be regulated in the European spirit, by meeting the commitments from the treaty on minority rights. A key issue is to ensure political mandates for the Croat minority in Serbia's state and local governments, Bakota said. "The Serb minority has three guaranteed seats in the Croatian parliament, it also has a score of representatives at local level as well as state secretaries in ministries. It's a very good solution and it should be applied in Serbia also," he said, recalling that in Croatia "the Serb minority is a government coalition partner, which is extremely important, while (in Serbia) that's not the case."

 

Germany open for discussion on reform of negotiation rules (Pobjeda)

 

The German government is open for discussion about concrete reforms, which would improve the accession process of the Western Balkan countries to the EU, the German Federal Foreign Office said in a statement. The media recently reported that countries wishing to become part of the European family could be required some new negotiation rules of accession by Brussels at the next EU-Western Balkans summit in May. These rules might mean that countries would be offered some kind of a privileged partnership with the EU instead of joining it. More specifically – economic integration without formal membership. “The German government and the vast majority of the EU member states have clearly supported the opening of accession negotiations with North Macedonia and Albania. We regret that no agreement has been reached yet. We will continue working on this,” German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told Pobjeda daily. Even the Montenegrin President, Milo Djukanovic, revealed he has been aware that certain European circles have been considering a new model of negotiations with the candidate countries for EU membership, noting that it is not fair to change rules during the game. He said the Western Balkans must be involved in the discussion on further enlargement process. “Maybe the EU member states do have a privileged status over the candidate countries, but nobody should have a privileged status in Europe, as we are all its residents.”

 

 

Sela: Government is trying to postpone the elections because it’s scared (Republika)

 

Albanian opposition leader Ziadin Sela says that Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev is afraid of the elections scheduled on 12 April, and is looking for ways to get out of them. Zaev today insisted that the ratification of the NATO accession protocol should take precedence over the elections and said that it might be necessary to postpone the vote if the ratification between February and April. Macedonia was supposed to become a full NATO member by December, by the political crisis in Spain has postponed the ratification and as it now stands it might happen early next year, but the dissolution of the Macedonian Parliament may postpone it for after April.

It only shows that the Government is afraid of the elections. For us, the date remains – 12 April, Sela told the Kanal 5 television. He insisted that the elections are necessary to give a chance to the Albanian voters to remove the DUI party from government.

 

Andov opposes Zaev and Xhaferi: Elections don’t have to be postponed for NATO accession process (Republika)

 

In a bid to change the date of the elections, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and Speaker of the Parliament Talat Xhaferi began to confuse the public with messages that due to the NATO process it is possible to postpone the agreed date of 12 April. Commenting on such statements made by the current Parliament Speaker and the Prime Minister, the first Parliament Speaker of the country Stojan Andov says it is a matter of political manipulation. According to Zaev, the entire procedure for the ratification of the NATO accession protocol would be completed by 11 February, when the current parliamentary composition should be dissolved. Unofficially Zaev is afraid that he will face a catastrophic defeat and will not get even 40 MPs. In a statement to Alfa, Stojan Andov says no one can take away the mandate of MPs, and it lasts until new MPs are elected. “A session can always be held. It is enough to have the political consent of all parties in Parliament, and the government, or the government and the opposition together, to submit a concrete proposal to convene a parliament’s session,” said Stojan Andov who said in a televised debate two weeks ago that huge crime and corruption in which is stuck Macedonia is not possible without the permission of the highest circles of government.

 

Hahn: EU’s decision for opening negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia will soon change (Radio Tirana)

 

EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn voices his confidence that the disappointing outcome of the European Council, which refused Albania and North Macedonia’s launch of EU accession negotiations, will soon change. “The disappointing outcome of the previous European Council, which refused Albania and North Macedonia to start accession negotiations with the European Union will soon change.” Together with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Commissioner Hahn met in Brussels with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, who reiterated his support for the European perspective of the Western Balkans.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES

 

US envoy calls EU decision on Balkans a “historic mistake” (AP, 4 November 2019)

 

BELGRADE, Serbia — A U.S. envoy for the Western Balkans has described European Union’s decision not to open membership talks with North Macedonia and Albania as a “historic mistake” that sends a bad message to the region. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Palmer on Monday said the U.S. will do all it can to persuade the EU to reverse the decision before a planned leaders’ meeting in May in Croatia. Palmer says “America wants the Western Balkans to have a European perspective.” Palmer spoke in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, after meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic. The U.S. has intensified efforts to help relaunch stalled talks on normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo, a former province whose 2008 declaration of independence Belgrade does not recognize. Vucic says normalization talks could resume in two to three months.

 

Balkan leaders warn that EU accession delay risks stoking tensions (Financial Times, by Valerie Hopkins, 4 November 2019)

 

Albania and North Macedonia say reforms and name deal with Greece could be under threat

North Macedonia and Albania face a risk of surging nationalism and unravelling economic reforms after the EU closed the door for years on their hopes of joining the bloc, the leaders of both countries have warned. Zoran Zaev, prime minister of North Macedonia, said in an interview that he feared a return to his ethnically divided country’s “bad past”, including a narrowly averted civil war in 2001. Edi Rama, prime minister of Albania, said in a separate interview that his country risked becoming “collateral damage” from the EU’s divisions over enlargement. The warnings from both Balkan leaders underline analysts’ fears that the EU’s failure to proceed with both countries’ accession process will destabilise a geopolitically delicate region where the influence of other countries including Russia and China is growing. French president Emmanuel Macron in effect blocked opening accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania. Both countries have complained that the EU is not meeting its side of an implied bargain, after both Tirana and Skopje acted to try to meet Brussels’ demands. The Netherlands and Denmark were also opposed to talks with Albania. Mr Zaev said he was worried that a sensitive agreement he negotiated with Greece last year to rename his country could be reopened amid a resurgence of nationalist sentiment. The name change was an important step on the road to joining the EU but was contentious in both countries and Mr Zaev warned that further implementation of the deal struck with Athens was now at risk. “Part of the process is irreversible, but I worry there could be a return to the bad past that we had,” he said, noting the multi-ethnic nature of his country, shared between majority Macedonians and ethnic Albanians. “If there is enough nationalist rhetoric, radical acting and speeches in North Macedonia, that will give arguments to Greek politicians to use the same kind of rhetoric . . . And that can lead everyone to take concrete steps which will not be good for my region or my country,” Mr Zaev said. Mr Zaev has already said he will resign and trigger an early election next year in the wake of the EU’s rebuff. He has said the name deal with Greece, known as the Prespa agreement,could be in jeopardy if his party does not win. In Tirana, Mr Rama said that the decision not to open accession negotiations left a “heavy psychological shock in the country” and harmed the bloc’s credibility in the region. “We were cut twice from Europe brutally, once for five centuries under the Ottoman Empire and then for half a century under the most brutal communist regime. No one can live with the idea that there can be a third time, and that this time it can be Europe who cuts us brutally from itself,” he said. Mr Rama and Mr Zaev said they understood the concerns of the EU member states that blocked the negotiations because they want to see reform in the bloc and of its enlargement policies. But they both agreed that any eventual membership was at least a decade off, and that their countries and the EU itself could meanwhile continue their reforms. Mr Rama said the need for internal EU reform was “not really a standing alibi for what is the core issue”. “Europe is in a period where it will get worse before it will get better and we are just the collateral damage of that,” said Mr Rama. Judy Dempsey, a non-resident senior fellow at Carnegie Europe based in Berlin, said that the EU’s credibility had been damaged because leaders had been told since 2003 that if they met the EU’s criteria, they would be admitted, and now that at least Skopje had done so, it was being rejected on the grounds that the EU must be reformed first. “Promises have been broken,” she said. “The Western Balkans is now easy picking for the Chinese and Russian influence.” Mr Zaev said he worried about attempts to fill the vacuum. “This [decision] gives space for third forces, which are not very helpful, who do not offer us democracy, freedoms, and rule of law,” he said.