21.05.2021 – 09:59
Germany is trying to make the Western Balkans an EU priority.
Serbian Minister Jadranka Joksimovic was able to understand this during her visit to Berlin. But she also heard criticism of Serbia.
We are still in the period when many things are determined on the basis of fighting the Corona virus. This was also seen on Wednesday (May 19th) during visits by Serbian Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic and Slovenian Foreign Minister Anzhe Logar.
But the approach to the pandemic was different: Joksimovic underlined Serbia’s pan-European success in vaccinating citizens, while Logar stressed the need to coordinate activities around Covid-19 documents so Slovenia can save at least part of its season. tourist.
The pandemic was also discussed during the meetings on the return of the Western Balkan countries to the agenda of the European Union.
This is a process that Germany has launched earlier this year with intensified diplomatic activities, inviting the foreign ministers of the Western Balkan countries to Berlin, at a time when, due to the stalemate, almost no foreign politicians came to Berlin.
Return to the priority list
The German government has announced that it will insist on reviving the Berlin Process. This process was ignored due to the pandemic, but also due to the lack of new ideas and the lack of interest of most European Union countries for the enlargement process.
Part of Berlin’s motivation for intensifying the issue of the Western Balkans is the strong entry of China, Russia or Turkey into the region, which are taking advantage of the empty space left by the European Union due to lack of proper engagement.
Following the visit of his colleague from Serbia, Nikola Selakovic, in early March, slightly irritated, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stated at the press conference that the EU is the largest supplier of vaccines in the Western Balkans, while in many media spelled differently.
Ahead of talks with Minister Logar, the German Foreign Minister expressed disappointment with the general impression that the EU has given up on the Western Balkans.
“The European Union is probably not the loudest in the Western Balkans, but we are the most important political and economic partner for all countries in the region,” Maas said.
Expansion – the taboo word!
As part of the “Troika”, which holds the presidency of the European Union, Maas and Logar devoted a good part of the talks to coordinating the project of returning the Western Balkans to the EU agenda.
But the two ministers avoided using the term “enlargement”, although they are aware – especially seen during Selakovic’s visit to Berlin – that postponing and not mentioning any possible date for membership certainly does not increase the Union’s popularity. European in this region.
“That’s why we need to send a clear message to the people living in that region: your future is in the European Union and we all want that.
“We need to ensure a credible membership perspective in order to support the pro-European forces in the region, which is necessary to implement the necessary reforms,” Maas said.
The role of citizens
Logar on the other hand announced that one of the priorities of the Slovenian presidency of the Council of the EU, in the second half of this year, will be to take over the German initiative. “We must keep the theme of the Western Balkans very high,” Logar said.
Asked by DW what specific impulses are planned, Logar said that, in addition to the new conference within the Berlin Process, high-level meetings are being prepared in order to better involve the Western Balkan countries in shaping the future. of the EU. “We will also propose regular meetings between all EU countries and the countries of the Western Balkans. “Our goal is to involve the citizens of the Western Balkan countries in the debate on the future of the European Union,” said Logar.
His colleague Maas believes in economic aid in the first place as the best advertisement for the EU, especially in the post-pandemic period. “With partners from the Western Balkans, we want to lay the groundwork for economic recovery, especially in this difficult post-pandemic period. “It is important for us that people see it and benefit from it.”
Sitting in two chairs
At the same time, Serbian Minister for European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic, through talks with Michael Roth, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, assured Germany that Serbia is still committed to the path towards EU integration.
After talks with Roth, but also with representatives of parliamentary groups in the Bundestag, she said she believes in Berlin’s full support in achieving Belgrade’s goals regarding the implementation of reforms, but also the continuation of negotiations.
But in a conversation with DW before meeting with the Serbian minister, the chairman of the Bundestag parliamentary group for Southeast Europe and one of the best experts on the situation in the region, Social Democrat (SPD) MP Josip Juratovic, underlined the old remarks, which representatives Serbs are always heard in Germany talking about Serbia’s commitment to the European Union – shortcomings in the field of rule of law, shortcomings in the field of justice and media freedom.
MP Renate Alt, who is in charge of Southeast Europe in the Liberal Party (FDP), also told DW that the biggest obstacle for Serbia lies in the field of justice, freedom of thought and the rule of law. “Serbia on this path has taken steps back and not forward,” Alt said, adding that “it is not surprising that Serbia did not open or close any negotiation chapters last year.”
Juratovic, who also met with Minister Joksimovic on Wednesday, said in despair: “Serbia must decide whether it wants the Europe of Orban and the Visegrad Group, which in the EU are only for economic reasons, or the realization of European values. . We do not know what Serbia wants. “She will have good relations with everyone and sit in two chairs,” said Juratovic. / DW /
