LOCAL PRESS 

Brnabic: I am glad if Pristina wished to resume dialogue (Tanjug/RTS) 

At Thursday’s press conference, when asked to comment on the announcements from Pristina that Albin Kurti will participate in the dialogue with Belgrade, along with Vjosa Osmani, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said that this was the best possible news. “There were earlier announcements that this was not Kurti’s priority, but his fifth or sixth item on the agenda ... I am glad if their position has changed, it is important for the security and stability of the region,” Brnabic said. Asked whether she also considered joining the dialogue, in that case, Brnabic said that Belgrade’s main negotiator was President Aleksandar Vucic, and that, of course, she would not run away from participating in the talks, if necessary.

Odalovic: Shieb’s statement on NATO aggression unfounded (RTS) 

Secretary General of the Serbian parliament Veljko Odalovic assessed that the statement of German Ambassador Thomas Schieb on NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia was not founded on “anything”, and that the public opinion of Western countries was formed by the methods of Josef Goebbels. “Such a statement is not founded on anything. If he mentions a diplomatic solution, Serbia did everything to find a solution. We offered various solutions, and degrees of autonomy, and had concrete negotiations in Rambouillet,” Odalovic told Radio and Television of Serbia (RTS). Odalovic told Shieb “to ask the Americans” why the negotiations failed, and added that the United States had clear goals to bomb Yugoslavia. “It would be good for him to be informed about what was really happening until then,” Odalovic pointed out. He emphasized that the only humanitarian catastrophe occurred in March 2004, during the March pogrom, “when German soldiers were obliged to guard Prizren”. “So much for their contribution,” he added.

Schieb: 1999 bombing was justified, comparison with WWII impermissible (Beta/Politika) 

German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb stated on Thursday that the NATO bombing of FR Yugoslavia was justified as a last resort and adamantly opposed every comparison of that operation with the policy of the German Nazis during World War II. Schieb said that, during a RTV interview, host Ljubica Gojgic asked him about his article on 80 years since Germany’s attack on Yugoslavia. He said that “a sort of parallel was made on that occasion with the 1999 NATO bombing”. “In my opinion, making such parallels is inappropriate and I declared that stance in the interview. In order to properly understand the decision about NATO bombing, one should know the developments that preceded that decision. A diplomatic solution to end the war in Kosovo, which was launched by Slobodan Milosevic, had been sought for months. It was only after the diplomatic means had been exhausted that the decision on launching a military operation was made,” Schieb said. “Every lost human life has represented and still represents a great tragedy. Unfortunately, that aspect was not sufficiently covered during the interview. My deepest respect for the innocent civilian casualties who lost their lives during the 1999 bombing,” Schieb said. However, he pointed out that, out of respect for the victims of the Nazi persecution, he adamantly opposed any comparison with World War II, which was undoubtedly criminal in nature and in which the Nazi Germany had enveloped the whole of Europe.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

B&H HoP fails to discuss removal of Minister Lucic; SDA blocks removal of B&H Minister Lucic and requests concessions from SNSD; HoP rejects Amendments to Criminal Code (O kanal) 

 

At its session held on Thursday, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) House of Peoples (HoP) failed to discuss decision confirming removal of B&H Minister of Human Rights and Refugees Milos Lucic. Chair of B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Zoran Tegeltija decided to remove Lucic because DNS – party that nominated this minister – left ruling coalition with SNSD. B&H House of Representatives (HoR) confirmed Tegeltija’s decision last week. Speaker of the B&H HoP Bakir Izetbegovic removed the item from the agenda. Media reports say that SNSD plans to appoint former Mayor of Banja Luka Igor Radojicic to this post. Izetbegovic stated that this is unacceptable and added that SDA has other conditions before they can allow the rotation of ministers in the Council of Ministers (CoM). B&H HoP Deputy Speaker Nikola Spiric (SNSD) said that the process of removal of Lucic is blocked on purpose in order to create obstructions. He added that B&H and everyone else needs blockades the least in the current moment. Izetbegovic explained that SDA wishes to see a non-partisan candidate at the post of B&H Minister of Human Rights and Refugees. He added that Radojicic is a prominent member of SNSD and he is not a candidate in accordance with the principles the proposed. Izetbegovic also stated that they request the return of the post of Deputy Speaker of the Republika Srpska (RS) parliament to SDA and to reappoint Senad Bratic. RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic stated that she is not officially informed about these conditions and they always exist. She added that Radojicic is an important person in SNSD. Delegate of SDS in the B&H HoP Mladen Bosic said that it is obvious that there is tension between the ruling coalition on the B&H level and this leads to new trades when it comes to staffing issues.

B&H HoP’s session was on verge of termination after Becirovic called for Dodik’s arrest if he makes moves aimed at disintegration within B&H (RTRS) 

 

Thursday’s session of B&H House of Peoples (HoP) was on the verge of termination after SDP B&H’s Denis Becirovic called for the arrest of Serb member of B&H Presidency and B&H Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik (SNSD) if he makes moves aimed at disintegration of B&H. However, the session was not terminated after all, but Becirovic’s statements were condemned by the Serb and Croat officials and delegates in B&H HoP. Commenting on Becirovic’s call, Serb officials said that it seems that Becirovic selectively turns the parliamentary hall into a courtroom, delivers a sentence without crime or indictment and bans the public opinion. B&H Council of Ministers (CoM) Chairman Zoran Tegeltija (SNSD) stated that he believes that no one in B&H HoP or in B&H wants to prevent the leader of one of the biggest political parties and B&H Presidency Chairman from voicing his stances publicly. He reminded that clear, open and public stances of Dodik and his associates have always advocated the dialogue and agreement within B&H, but that threats such as the ones presented by Becirovic will never contribute to the development of B&H. According to Deputy B&H HoP Speaker Nikola Spiric (SNSD), the Serb Caucus in B&H HoP is against attempts to turn B&H HoP into an institution full of hatred and political pyromania, and Becirovic crossed the line with his call for Dodik’s arrest as this is not the first time that the HoP’s sessions are marked by similar rhetoric. Deputy B&H HoP Speaker Dragan Covic (HDZ B&H) stated that such rhetoric poses a risk to the work of B&H HoP, which would be very risky for B&H and further functioning of executive and legislative authority.  B&H HoP speaker Bakir Izetbegovic (SDA) commented that delegates’ caucuses have no competence to call for arrest of politicians in B&H. SDS’ Mladen Bosic said that all the developments at the session are part of political provocations and populism, which was widely accepted on the other side as it opens a debate about old conflicts, opposite stances and vital national interest protection.

International representatives suggest B&H CEC should be included in talks on change of Election Law of B&H (EuroBlic) 

The Joint Collegium of both Houses of the B&H parliament proposed that only representatives of SNSD, HDZ B&H, SDA and SBB B&H should be members of the Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) in charge of proposing changes to the Election Law of B&H but representatives of opposition parties opposed and everything was sent back for additional harmonization. In the meantime, members of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of B&H met with Head of the EU Delegation to B&H Johann Sattler, High Representative Valentin Inzko, Head of the OSCE Mission to B&H Kathleen Kavalec and US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson, after which the international representatives stated that engaging B&H CEC members in the work on election reform is extremely important. B&H CEC stated that the role of B&H CEC in the election reform, having in mind its experience in organization and implementation of elections, can only contribute to creation of legislative solutions. B&H CEC also assessed that it was exposed to political attacks. Chair of SNSD Caucus in the House of Representatives (HoR) of B&H Snjezana Novakovic-Bursac stated that engaging of B&H CEC members in changes to the Election Law of B&H would be contradictory and explained: “It is a bit hypocritical to advocate European standards and modern practice in the Election Law on one hand and, on the other hand, to neglect obvious violation of laws, transparency and everything that has been happening on the occasion of the appointment of current convocation of B&H CEC”. Novakovic-Bursac argued that there is no doubt that some members of B&H CEC are members of political parties and people without any knowledge and experience when it comes to election process. “SNSD is of the stance that participation of opposition parties is not disputable, it is only the question to which extent and in which way those representatives should be appointed. There were some ideas that those should be political parties represented in both houses, some deemed that those should be parties which have caucuses, so it is necessary to consider all of this and come up with a quality and functional solution,” Novakovic-Bursac concluded. PDP leader and representative in B&H HoR Branislav Borenovic said that representatives of all parliamentary political parties should be represented in the IAWG and he added: “It is completely logical that B&H CEC, as the institution in charge of implementation of elections, should participate in its work too. SNSD and HDZ B&H are frustrated because they think legitimacy is only when someone is under their direct influence while the new convocation (of B&H CEC) showed that they are working in line with laws and in a fair manner, which does not suit them and can cave in their distorted value system of election frauds and manipulations”.

B&H CEC preparing its version of B&H Election Law (Glas Srpske) 

The daily carries that representatives of parliamentary parties at the B&H level have not yet reached an agreement on the composition of interdepartmental working group for changes to the election legislation and that while politicians are weighing the pros and cons of participation of the opposition and the B&H Central Election Commission (CEC), it has been disclosed that the CEC is preparing its version of the Election Law. The first proposal on formation of new working group was not adopted at the last session of the B&H House of Representatives (HoR). After the discussion, the proposal was returned for harmonization because there is no consensus on whether the working group should only be consisted of three representatives and three delegates of SNSD, three representatives and three delegates of HDZ B&H, three representatives and three delegates of SDA and three representatives of the B&H Council of Ministers (CoM), without B&H CEC members as was the practice earlier. SNSD and HDZ B&H are against the active participation of the CEC in that working body because they do not accept the current composition of the B&H CEC due to the fact that, as they claim, part of the B&H CEC members was elected in an illegal way. The main task of members of the working group is drafting of amendments to the B&H Election Law with the goal to improve the situation and transparency of the process. The B&H CEC members have informed the EU Delegation (EUD) to B&H and other foreign representatives in B&H that they are already working on that. The B&H CEC stated that during a conversation with ambassadors on Wednesday evening, the topic were reforms of the Election Law and formation of the interdepartmental group, i.e. participation of the B&H CEC members. "CEC members informed the ambassadors about the active work of the institution on creating a proposal of changes to the B&H Election Law which will be offered with the goal of implementing reforms for the improvement of the system and moving closer to EU standards. The proposal will be presented upon its finalization," the CEC stated. B&H CEC President Zeljko Bakalar told the daily that no one from the B&H parliament contacted the B&H CEC members for participation in the work of the working group. "Representatives of the international community are also behind the need for the B&H CEC, as the body that organizes and implements the elections and knows the problems and shortcomings, to be the group. There is resistance to our participation in that, this is the first time that it is being posed as a problem, and we know since when and why it is a problem," Bakalar said. Representative of the Coalition 'Pod Lupom' and former B&H CEC member Vehid Sehic told the daily that it is ungrateful to predict anything in B&H, including where the fact that law changes are being prepared on all sides might take one. "If we had politically responsible people, decisions of both foreign and domestic courts and the law would be respected, but there is no rule of law in this country. For me, it is unacceptable that only people from three parties take part in the interdepartmental group, without the participation of CEC members," Sehic underlined.

Nelson and Radoncic discuss electoral reform and anti-corruption efforts (Dnevni avaz) 

 

US Ambassador to B&H Eric Nelson held a meeting with SBB leader Fahrudin Radoncic on Thursday. The US Embassy announced on Twitter that Nelson and Radoncic discussed electoral reform and anti-corruption efforts. “The United States and our international partners remain committed to reforms that will make B&H elections more transparent and strengthen this country’s democracy,” the US Embassy stated.

Stoltenberg sends letter to Turkovic: NATO remains dedicated to security and stability of Western Balkans (Oslobodjenje) 

 

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg congratulated B&H for successful chairmanship over American-Adriatic Charter in the last year despite of challenges caused by the pandemic. In the letter sent to B&H Foreign Minister Bisera Turkovic, Stoltenberg stressed that NATO remains dedicated to security and stability of Western Balkans and open for integration of the countries which want it. He thanked for an opportunity to take part in a final meeting of Foreign Ministers of member countries by which the chairmanship ended.

 

Press release by Secretariat-General of the Government of Montenegro regarding the attack on the official state car on the road Niksic-Podgorica (Secretariat-General of the government of Montenegro) 

The Secretariat-General of the Government of Montenegro was informed about the unpleasant event that happened today on the road Niksic - Podgorica, when a group of citizens physically attacked an official state car of the Secretariat-General of the Government of Montenegro, driven by an officer of the Police Directorate, transporting a person enjoying protection. We call on the Police Directorate and other competent bodies to take all necessary actions as soon as possible, to investigate the case and prosecute persons responsible for the attack. The security of members of the Police Directorate, persons enjoying protection and all citizens of Montenegro must not be endangered and any attack must be investigated in detail.

 

Krivokapic: My daughter was in car, I won’t forget her tears and fear (CdM) 

 

Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic has spoken on the occasion of yesterday’s incident when the official vehicle, with his daughter in it, crashed into a group of citizens. He claims that it was an attack and threatens the citizens! “Today, the official vehicle with my daughter, as a protected person in it, was attacked. As a father, I will not forget her tears and fear. As Prime Minister, I will not allow you savagery and lawlessness! There will be law and order in this country that you are not used to. You will see it soon,” Krivokapic has tweeted.

Krivokapic blames Djukanovic and DPS for patriots’ gathering (CdM) 

In his reaction to the protest of citizens due to the government’s announcement to adopt a decision on easier acquisition of Montenegrin citizenship, Montenegrin Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic has accused President Milo Djukanovic of gathering citizens. “I call on President Djukanovic not to destabilize the state and to call on the people he has taken to the streets to get back home!”, Krivokapic has tweeted. He adds that the riots, which, as he claims, are produced by Djukanovic, will not stop the hand of justice and the rule of law.  Djukanovic has stated that it is extremely immoral for Krivokapic to insinuate that he was organizing protests that he doesn’t like. “Attempts are in vain to cover up all their ignorance, lack of commitment and inconsistency by blaming the former government for everything,” Djukanovic has pointed out. He stresses that the Prime Minister has now started to do the same to him personally. At the cabinet meeting, the government is not to consider the Decision on amending the decision on the criteria for determining the conditions for acquiring Montenegrin citizenship by admission, although it was announced. The government claims that this is misinformation that has appeared in public “as a means of sabotaging the government’s work and disturbing peace in the country”. Therefore, the government informs the public of Montenegro that the Proposed Decision on Amendments to the Decision on Criteria for determining the conditions for acquiring Montenegrin citizenship isn’t on the agenda of the cabinet meeting.

Vuksic’s first associate takes responsibility for revealing CIA agents’ names (Pobjeda) 

The Standing Disciplinary Commission of the National Security Agency questioned the first associate of the Agency’s director Dejan Vuksic, to whom he transferred all responsibility for the scandalous disclosure of the CIA agents’ identities to the members of the parliamentary Committee on Defense and Security, Pobjeda reports. As Pobjeda finds out, she took the blame on herself and didn’t say a word about Vuksic having asked for anything from her or having done anything without her knowledge. She agreed to take responsibility for the note including the CIA agents’ names.

Macron writes to Krivokapic: France is standing by your side (President’s PR service) 

 

President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron sent a letter to Prime Minister of Montenegro Zdravko Krivokapic. Distinguished Prime Minister, I would like to thank you for your letter and offer my best wishes for a successful term as the Prime Minister of Montenegro, following an unprecedented political change. Rest assured that France is standing by your side to meet the challenges your country is facing, the pandemic, but also the challenges of strengthening the rule of law and economic and social development. As part of the French strategy for the Western Balkans, to which you refer, the French Development Agency (AFD) will launch its activities in Montenegro this year, with a project worth EUR 50 million to support the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises and municipalities, while respecting the objectives of sustainable development. I fully support the European perspective of Montenegro and the countries of the Western Balkans. You can count on France's support in implementing necessary reforms. As you know, our Embassy, but also the French expert, who is at your disposal, are engaged in Podgorica for this purpose. In addition, the operational service, Expertise France, can be used, especially within European projects. It is already being used for the needs of a project to support the judiciary and the fight against corruption and organized crime, which I hope would be implemented. Furthermore, I hope that our bilateral relations will continue to strengthen. The forthcoming visit of the Montenegrin Minister of Foreign Affairs to Paris will contribute to that. As you suggested, I would be happy to discuss these different topics with you, either by videoconference or by phone. I congratulate you once again and please accept the assurances of my highest consideration. Emmanuel Macron

 

Albanian groups plan protest in support of the killers of Nikola Sazdovski – Sazdo (Republika) 

Albanian groups plan protest in support of the killers of Nikola Sazdovski – Sazdo 

Families of the three ethnic Albanian football hooligans who beat a young Macedonian to death in 2018 will protest on Friday for their release. Jeton Luza, Besir Belja and Skender Demiri were charged in the killing of Nikola Sazdovski – Sazdo (20), who was fan of the Macedonian Vardar club. The three Albanians were apparently following Sazdo and attacked him when he was waiting for a bus with his girlfriend, beating his head on the pavement and leaving him badly injured. He died days later in hospital. Belja and Demiri were sentenced to 19 years in prison, later reduced to 16 years on appeal. Luza fled the country, but was recently extradited from Germany. As in the similar ethnically charged case of the 2012 Good Friday massacre, Albanian organizations plan to protest in Skopje, after the Friday prayers, and to demand that the three killers are retried under a much lesser crime – not murder but violence with deadly outcome.

 

Flights at TIA are back/ Three controllers arrested for abuse of office (Tirana Times) 

After the strike of air traffic controllers against pay and staff cuts, the crisis created with the block of all the inbound and outbound flights from Tirana International Airport has come to an end. In the afternoon, it was announced that the essential flights would return from today at 3:00 PM, while the commercial flights would return from tomorrow. “This difficult and extraordinary situation has made us realize that it was an organized plan to have a block until the elections, but the data have been taken to make an even more in-depth verification of the situation,” said the Minister of Infrastructure Belinda Balluku while announcing the return of the essential flights at TIA. During the day, the State Police arrested three controllers who are suspected to be the organizers of the strike. The three controllers were part of a group of 24 controllers escorted during the night by the police after the Tirana Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation on the episode. While the three controllers are accused of abuse of office, the lawyer of the controllers, Rezart Kthupi, said that the accusation of abuse of office applies only to workers of the public administration and not to a company that does not depend on the state. According to the government, the strike held by the 65 air traffic controllers from Albcontrol has risked Albanian national security. Earlier in the day, the Minister of Defence Peleshi announced that other controllers from Albania or abroad can take the lead of the Albanian air traffic. "The Civil Defense Committee, composed of several ministers, has taken a three-point decision. The first point charges the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy to take the necessary measures to enable the return to work, even by replacing the controllers, whether from outside Albania or inside; determine the licensing criteria to resume flights as soon as possible and do what is necessary for the gradual resumption of work,” said Peleshi, who yesterday considered the airport “a strategic object of special importance for national security.” From last night, the Armed Forces have taken the control of the building of Albcontrol at Tirana International Airport. So far, it is still unclear who will be the air traffic controllers in charge of the operations, although according to some media reports a group of Turkish controllers has arrived in Albania to assist the whole process. The strike started after the controllers opposed the change of the employment contract, which has led to the halving of their monthly salaries, and for that reason, they have stated their inability to continue the activity due to stress. While Minister Balluku considered it “a coup” Prime Minister Rama accused former PM Sali Berisha and President Meta of being the orchestrators of the strike for political reasons. "Ilir, I have bad news for you: Vaccines are coming today and flights will resume normally tomorrow! Your plan with Sali to block the vaccination […] on the eve of the elections failed!” wrote Rama on Twitter after the announcement that the flights would return at TIA. At the other hand, President Meta requested a full audit of Albcontrol, based on the latest situation created by the strike. Yesterday the President invited the controllers to remain in office without interruption, to fulfill their mission in guarantying the proper functioning and without any problems of the Albanian air traffic. Meanwhile, according to the leader of the opposition Lulzim Basha, the strike at TIA was just another example of the failure of the state, “what is happening with the airport is nothing but the next failure of a man who has put his interests above the interests of every Albania,” declared Basha.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES 

Serbia Turns Multi-Vector Foreign Policy into Development Model… With China’s Help (China Observers in Central and Eastern Europe, by Vladimir Shopov, 7 April 2021) 

Few people following international affairs will have missed the now infamous photo of the Serbian President, Alexander Vucic, kissing the Chinese flag at Belgrade Airport a year ago. In the global scramble for protective equipment and masks, Vucic turned to his political friends in Beijing who duly obliged, securing a major diplomatic victory at a time of rising questioning of Chinese behaviour in relation to the emerging COVID-19 pandemic. Having overplayed his hand diplomatically and as societies settled into a routine in terms of handling the epidemic, it appeared that the relevance of Chinese engagement in the matter would wane. Yet, the EU bungled its vaccination support for the Western Balkans, thereby opening the way for another round of health diplomacy as China and Russia began shipping their vaccines to Serbia. To the astonishment of many, this has allowed the country to leap ahead in its vaccination programme, providing further evidence of the benefits of ‘multi-vector’ diplomacy. Further, ‘vaccine diplomacy’ has now progressed beyond supply and distribution and is presently entering a new stage, one of production. An agreement has already been signed to produce locally the Chinese Sinopharm vaccine with funds from both China and United Arab Emirates. This investment could potentially be employed as a platform for further expansion of medical and pharmaceutical cooperation. Russia has made a similar commitment, following an agreement between the Russian Direct Investment Fund and the Serbian vaccine institute Torlak. Under its terms, the Russian vaccine Sputnik V will be produced there and then exported across Europe, depending on demand and regulatory approval. From this perspective, cooperation will now lead to the generation of a tangible public good which goes beyond the mere symbolism of ad hoc shipments of assistance. Importantly, this is facilitating a transformation whereby ‘multi-vector’ diplomacy is not just a foreign policy approach, but a maturation into a development model. In this model, geopolitical hedging and equidistance lead to longer-term, tangible and structural benefits.  Thus far, 2021 is providing further evidence of such a shift as investors from all parts of the globe continue to plan and implement projects in the country.

Opening the Doors to All Investors 

Beyond vaccines, China has continued to expand its economic presence in Serbia thus far in 2021. The owner of Bor copper mining and smelter complex, Zijin Mining, is investing another €330 million on top of prior investments  and is constructing a factory at another mining site. A group of Chinese investors also officially expressed interest in the construction of an oil refinery at Smederevo worth some $2.6 billion with activities due to start in April. German and US companies are expected to be involved in the process. In January, another Chinese company, Power Construction Corporation, together with Alstom and Egis of France signed a memorandum with the Serbian government about the construction of the initial two lines of the Belgrade Metro. The project will be worth some €4.4 billion and is partly funded by Beijing and Paris with actual construction expected to begin in late 2021. Further, work on current projects, such as the construction of the Belgrade-Budapest high-speed railway and the Belgrade-South Adriatic highway, are proceeding apace. The Serbian government is also in talks to purchase high-speed trains from China. Yet, the ‘Middle Kingdom’ has by no means been the only major economic actor expanding its presence in the country. In February, the Japanese electric-motors company Nidec selected Novi Sad as a site for its future factory. The investment is expected to be $1.9 billion and will eventually produce 300,000 units by 2023. In December 2020, Toyo Tires began building a factory in the town of Indjija with an initial investment of €367 million. The factory will eventually employ 537 people and produce 5 million tires annually. Russia is also quite active. The Serbian section of the TurkStream gas pipeline has been completed with its backing. Gazprom is expected to commission a 200 MW gas-fired power plant of NIS oil and gas company, to be built with Chinese equipment in Pancevo. Further, Russian-owned Nis and the Swiss MET Renewables AG are to begin building a 102 MW wind park in the municipality of Plandishte. Western actors are not standing idly by either. Just weeks ago, the German auto-parts firm, Continental, opened its factory in Novi Sad, an investment worth some €140 million. Its presence builds on an R&D unit established back in 2018, employing some 600 people. The company has also declared its intension to construct another factory at Kac in northern Serbia.

Meanwhile, France and the World Bank are engaged in a project to assist Serbia upgrade its railway infrastructure as the country intends to spend some $3.3 billion to that effect. Rio Tinto has stepped up its exploration of the Jadar lithium/borate site which is likely to lead to the production of batteries for the expanding EV market. Recently, the French company, IEL OIE Balkan Renewable Energy, announced it will begin the construction of four geothermal projects in Vranje, Subotica, Kikinda and Ruma. Despite lingering uncertainties, the US International Development Finance Corporation has restated its intensions to continue with activities, mainly focused on infrastructure and renewable energy, thereby opening the way for further investments. Importantly, the Serbian government has confirmed its plans to privatize another 20 state-owned companies in the transport, mining, engineering and construction sectors which are certain to attract further foreign investment. This year, the construction of the Peace Highway between Nis and Pristina, Kosovo is to begin, with funding to the tune of $220 million euro provided entirely by EU institutions.

Turning the ‘Multi-Vector’ Approach into a Model    

For quite some time, the Serbian ‘multi-vector’ approach to international affairs has been roundly dismissed as either a mere conceptual hang-over from Yugoslav times, or rather a tired political trope utilized to legitimize an increasingly autocratic regime. It has been perceived as an unworkable solution for an increasingly integrated European continent which punishes political freelancers with excessive hedging strategies. Yet, the country appears to be in position to attempt the transformation of a foreign policy concept into a wider developmental model at a time of numerous global displacements. At least three dynamics are at work in this transition. Firstly, Serbia is increasingly able to attract economic investments from a widening range of actors, leveraging its friendly political approach and regional locational strength. Secondly, advances in vaccine production and greenfield investments mark a transition to tangible public goods and benefits to the wider public, going beyond Government-to-Government deals often perceived as irrelevant to the country’s citizens. Thirdly, this instrumentalization of multi-polarity is allowing the country to enhance its regional role as it engages in its own ‘vaccine diplomacy’ and economic expansion. Undoubtedly, the next few years will witness the strengthening of this stance in an effort to buttress legitimacy, contain dissent, and harness nationalist feelings. Moreover, while such an approach is likely to be a less viable option for the smaller and less economically attractive counties in the Western Balkans, it could nevertheless quietly imbue citizens and elites with a feeling that a similar approach might hold some promise, especially as EU membership remains an ever-distant prospect. Clearly, there are important factors pulling in the opposite direction. Rising geopolitical polarization makes such ‘middle of the road’ positions hard to maintain as Serbia might be forced to actually take sides. Growing European economic engagement might disrupt the new equilibrium as the gravitational force of Serbia’s status as a European country creates more systemic incentives to tilt westwards. Further, many non-western projects remain solely on paper and are continuously postponed or otherwise fail to convince in terms of their wider societal benefits. These factors could stand in the way of multi-polarity maturing into an effective development model. Yet, the geopolitical ambivalence of the Western Balkans is unlikely to end any time soon, particularly as its purposeful leveraging offers an attractive proposition for Belgrade. While its transformation into a solid, workable system remains uncertain, its potential success could have significant political consequences, both in Serbia and beyond.