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Escobar: US has these conditions to support the "Open Balkans"

2022-06-17 22:07:56Politikë SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX
Escobar: US has these conditions to support the "Open Balkans"
Gabriel Escobar and Majlinda Bregu at the Prespa Forum for the Western Balkans

The forum known as the "Prespa Dialogue" continued today for the second day in Ohrid, Northern Macedonia, in which American and European officials and heads of governments of the Western Balkan countries spoke. The debate focused on Euro-Atlantic integration and the dangerous influence of Russian propaganda in the region. The US Special Envoy for the Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said the US supports economic initiatives, but only if they are integrative and include all Western Balkan countries.

The US special envoy, Gabriel Escobar, spoke of Euro-Atlantic integration as a goal of the Western Balkan countries, and said that instead of the many challenges, he would focus on opportunities for unity and common values. Mr Escobar said the EU enlargement project was of particular importance to former opponents of the Warsaw Pact and NATO, while stressing that the European Union had exported stability and peace.

He underlined US support for European or regional initiatives aimed at economic integration.

"We support the Berlin Process, we support the CEFTA Common Market Agreement, as well as the Open Balkans as long as it focuses on European integration and if it remains open to all countries."

He said that 70% of the economy of the Western Balkans is related to the European market, and economic processes should be within the framework of the rule of law, open and transparent and inclusive markets.

"If the Open Balkans meets these conditions, it will have American support," Escobar said.

The British envoy to the Balkans, Stuart Peach, said Russian influence was not new.

“The tools can be new; The noise created by the tragedy of the illegal war in Ukraine and for the people of Ukraine have not stopped. And we must be very vigilant ", said Mr. Peach, underlining the necessary path of integration of this region in the Euro-Atlantic processes. He said Russia has militarized energy and economic issues.

Serbian Prime Minister Ana Bernabic, opposing the efforts of part of the international community regarding mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo, compared the seven groups' strong commitments to protect Ukraine's territorial integrity, as well as calling for the observance of resolutions. others, such as Syria, as he noted, while noting that UN Resolution 1244 is never mentioned.

"All G7 countries ignore UN Resolution 1244, and that speaks to how complex the whole situation is." This, according to the Serbian Prime Minister, is making Serbia's integration process even more difficult.

"We will fight politically for our territorial integrity through negotiations for the long-term normalization of relations with Pristina, because on this depends economic stability and development as well as our country in the EU," she said.

Regarding the "Open Balkans" initiative, Bernabic said that on the contrary it does not contradict the Berlin process, while the partners, according to her, are free to choose which initiatives are best for them.

On the other hand, she stressed the need for the inclusion of the Western Balkan countries in the European Union, while calling on the bloc to open talks with Northern Macedonia and Albania as soon as possible, because "this is in the interest of security and economic and political well-being of the region ”.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, was also scheduled to speak in the rostrum, but he did not come to Ohrid due to a meeting with veterans of the former Kosovo Liberation Army.

Foreign Minister Donika Gërvalla said that the Republic of Kosovo is making efforts to get as close as possible to NATO structures, emphasizing that this path is not easy because four member countries of the Alliance do not recognize Kosovo's independence.

Meanwhile, President Vjosa Osmani, speaking last night at the meeting, stressed the dangerous effects of Russian propaganda, while saying on the other hand that the people of Kosovo and its youth are being done great injustice by the European Union in terms of visa liberalization.

"Putin has talked a lot about Kosovo, about the Western Balkans, and he clearly wants to fabricate false stories and false comparisons. "But only a comparison can be made: what Putin is doing today, Milosevic was doing decades ago in our region committing the worst crimes against humanity and genocide," said Ms. Osmani.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi in a video message stressed the Russian aggression, underlining that the consequences of the war extend beyond Ukraine and the entire region.

"Uncertainty about food supply, rising energy prices and financial difficulties have caused global problems," he said.

Mr Varhelyi said the Western Balkans remain a priority for the EU.

"Therefore, the bloc has included this region in its aid plans for the gas and food crisis. "The Western Balkans will benefit from this to reduce their dependence on Russian fossil fuels." The commissioner added that the EU's main instrument remains the economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans, which will mobilize up to 30 billion euros over the next seven years.

"The plan can increase the region's gross domestic product by over 3% by 2027, while it will help close development gaps and accelerate integration," Mr Varhelyi said.

The European Commissioner stressed hopes that Bulgaria would also step up its efforts and act in the same way as Greece and Northern Macedonia, which overcame their dispute four years ago.

Macedonian Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski spoke about the economic measures the country's government has taken to help citizens and companies in times of crisis.

"We continue to work for the Europeanization of the general state system; we apply European values ​​and democracies within the country. "We are part of the European family and we share the same values," said Mr. Kovacevski. Regarding the Open Balkans initiative, he said that the arguments that the countries of the region have more economic benefits are stronger.

Mr Kovacevski said there was no alternative to northern Macedonia other than European integration.

Croatian President Zoran Milanovic, speaking the night before at the conference, said that Serbia and Kosovo should recognize each other because otherwise there is no move forward. He spoke about the reaction of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic a few days ago when German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had told him the same thing.

"This has never been at the negotiating table and why are you bringing it now?", Was the reaction of Mr. Vuçiç, according to his Croatian counterpart, while the Chancellor replied: "We want to be honest with you", according to Mr. Milanovic.

The Prespa Dialogue Conference is being held on the anniversary of the agreement reached with Greece on the name issue of Northern Macedonia. The meeting was attended by senior officials of states and international organizations and well-known experts in many fields. The organizer, which is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Northern Macedonia, aims for this meeting to serve as a forum for promoting dialogue and problem solving in the region and beyond. / VOA


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