The war in Ukraine cannot spill over to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), and Croatia is an example of a smart energy policy, the United States (U.S.) Special Envoy for the Western Balkans,Gabriel Escobar stated on Monday.
Escobar believes that BiH, for which he reiterates in public appearances that does not have ethnic but corruption problem, is the biggest challenge in the Western Balkans, and that it is a country where “Western promises have been least fulfilled.”
Establishment of a functional government in BiH
He did not want to say directly whether he is optimistic that elections will be held in BiH this year, expressing hope that this will happen, agency Hina reports.
Escobar thinks that the establishment of a functioning government in BiH is crucial, since it is supposed to fight corruption, attract investment, and create conditions for young people, but stressed that BiH is a sovereign state and that political will must come from within, Avaz writes.
”We must encourage them, but it is their responsibility to find solutions, ” he said about the political leaders in BiH.
At the U.S.–Croatian forum, Escobar emphasized that “he does not think that” the Ukrainian crisis can be transferred to the Croatian neighborhood because it has led to the return of the European focus on resolving the crisis in its environment.
Also, the war in Ukraine has led European Union (EU) candidate countries to “proactively show solidarity” with Western values, Escobar said, citing the fact that Serbia condemned the Russian invasion at the United Nations (UN)General Assembly, in early March, which is a “seismic change.”
The U.S. and Serbia have a 140-year relationship
He noted that Serbia is not the most difficult topic he talks about with other neighboring countries, because that “title” belongs to BiH.
”Namely, the U.S. and Serbia have a relationship for 140 years, and Belgrade has been “a close partner” to Washington all that time, for example in two world wars, ” he told.
Today, the question is how to attract Serbia to Western democracies, among which “it has always been and where it belongs”, Escobar pointed out, adding that the integration process slowed down during Slobodan Milosevic’s rule, which was marked by “bad governance”.
The U.S. envoy believes that the “next generation of Serbs” will be more inclined to Europe, and as proof, he stated that they “vote with their feet” by emigrating to Europe and the U.S., and not to China and Russia.
E.Dz.
