Russia is developing a “potential for destruction” in the Balkans, which could destabilize countries in the region, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Christian Schmidt warned in an interview with Deutsche Welle (DW).
DW: You said that Vladimir Putin is inflaming (the situation) in the Balkans. What does it mean?
Christian Schmidt: The situation in the Western Balkans is generally stable, but this area has not been spared from the impact of the war of aggression, which the Russian Federation is waging against Ukraine. Many people fear the transfer of war to the area – I don’t – but I see the potential for destruction, the potential to create crisis hotspots through fake news and other methods, which could destabilize countries in the region, especially BiH. And that causes me a lot of concern.
There is a great concern here in Europe as well. We saw that the Chancellor talked with the President of Serbia and the Prime Minister of Kosovo. Intense diplomatic talks are taking place. The German foreign minister was in the region, as was the defense minister. How much should Europe be concerned about the loss of influence and credibility in tracing the path of these countries to the European Union (EU)?
The Western Balkans are at the top of the list of priorities, also here in Berlin. The German Foreign Minister was there to visit. The President of Serbia and the Prime Minister of Kosovo visited Berlin. What has been achieved so far?
I think that, even if I cannot speak on behalf of the EU or its policy at the moment, it is necessary to act in moderation from a global point of view – depending on the situation in the countries. We need recognizable progress in those countries, which will then be able to use the right moment for European integration. If someone has the impression that nothing is changing for the better, that the rule of law is still weak, that he cannot find a job or adequate working conditions – he reacts to that and goes to other countries, to the countries of the EU. That is why we need to create a basis for trust. It’s not easy. But there are instruments we could use.
If you look at the fact that 27 years have passed since the Dayton Agreement, then I wonder how little the Croat, Serb, and Bosniak sides have managed to reconcile the differences in the memory of the past and merge them into a common understanding of the future. Everyone remembers what happened, but they do not draw very reliable conclusions about what should not be in the future and what must happen.
What is your opinion about the President of Serbia? He talks about a compromise he wants to reach on the issue of the non-recognition of Kosovo as an independent state. Germany has clearly reiterated its demand that recognition must take place and that this is a condition for joining the EU. Do you really expect a step forward in the near future?
A step forward will be difficult to achieve. Here, too, as an observer, I can imagine that gradual harmonization would make sense. For me, this means, as far as the recognition of Kosovo is concerned, which was not followed by the five EU members, to enable in any case pragmatic cooperation between the two countries, Kosovo and Serbia. What country do we Germans come from? We have experience in cooperation between East and West Germany, although there was no mutual recognition. And such a pragmatic way, which of course cannot be passed on one by one – these were the times of the Cold War and communism – but I would draw the thought from it: that we will never do everything that is possible, but what we do – we will do with good by ill. Unfortunately, that has not been recognized in the relations between Serbia and Kosovo so far. And that must be worked on, Vijesti.ba writes.
E.Dz.
