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Deutsche Welle: Mr Sarrazin, the EU Commission set a record time for candidate status for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. How do you comment on this recommendation regarding the Western Balkans?
Manuel Sarrazin: From my point of view, if the EU Commission and the Council of the European Union make enlargement policies credible, that is good for the countries of the Western Balkans, because it speaks to the geostrategic importance of EU enlargement and that the enlargement process vijon.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo remain outside. What should be offered to these two states?
The promise of enlargement made at the 2003 Thessaloniki Summit is still valid. For Bosnia and Herzegovina, 14 key priorities remain to be met and reforms implemented in order to be granted candidate status. In Kosovo the government is making reforms and we want to reward them. Visa liberalization for the citizens of Kosovo is one of those necessary steps that must be followed. But the normalization dialogue with Serbia must also resume and both sides must be ready for progress.
Difficult dialogue for normalization: EU Special Envoy Miroslav Lajcak (left), Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti (center) and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on 4 May 2022 in Berlin
Serbia continues to import gas and grain from Russia and send it to other Western Balkan countries, as well as to EU countries. Do we need more air conditioning in the direction of Serbia?
We import gas ourselves. So care must be taken to make it clear to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic that we expect him to support EU sanctions against Russia, but also not to give him the opportunity to say that we are turning off the lights in the country. because we also make sure that the decisions we make are economically reasonable.
Serbia is at the center of Russian misinformation and the hybrid war that is spreading across the region. What measures do you suggest to curb this impact?
The most important measure against this is the credibility of the promise of European Union enlargement. That is why it is so important to finally correct these mistakes we have made with enlargement policies, visa liberalization and the opening of membership negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania, and to show that when it makes progress, Europe keeps its promises. .
Western Balkans
It seems that there will be no progress even with the opening of negotiations with Northern Macedonia and Albania. Shouldn’t the two candidates split and start negotiations with Albania?
You just talked about Russian misinformation. Northern Macedonia will be a key target of Russian misinformation, but not only, which for us can be a strategically open arm to the influences. It is therefore extremely important at the moment that negotiations with both countries finally open.
As the enlargement process is progressing very slowly, the idea of regional co-operation called the Open Balkans is shifting more and more to the forefront. What do you think about this concept?
Basically, I am very skeptical about the Open Balkans. It should be clear that initiatives in the region must first be comprehensive and offer real opportunities to get involved. And on the other hand, it is important not to open parallel structures. In addition, it should always be clear that in no way do they replace EU membership.
Balkan Summit on June 8, 2022 in Ohrid, Northern Macedonia. From left to right: Zoran Tegeltija, Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Aleksandar Vuiqi,, President of Serbia, Dimitar Kovacevski, Prime Minister of Northern Macedonia, Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, Dritan Abazovic, Prime Minister of Montenegro mourning
Another format is the Berlin Process, which has had no major success in recent years. What exactly do you offer to make it an attractive format for the countries of the Western Balkans?
The Berlin Process has always been an attractive format. We have achieved a lot, for example with the RYCO youth office. We have four agreements on the table that would make a big step towards the development of a common regional market. We offer resumption of work to achieve these valuable goals for all, with new strengths and new themes. The new federal government is determined to take intensive care of the region throughout its term. We will have a long-term and strategic commitment.
Germany intends to take part again in the EUFOR Althea mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina after a ten-year break. What signal do you associate with this?
It was very important for us as a federal government that we proposed to the Bundestag to make it clear that Germany is ready to engage in security policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The second is that it is important for us that the elections in October 2022 take place in a safe and credible environment.
Bundeswehr soldiers at the 2005 EUFOR mission near Sarajevo. Germany wants to take part in the mission again
Four months ago you took over as Federal Government Charge d’Affaires for the Western Balkans. Do you see things today a little differently from when you started your term?
I would have liked the horrific experience of the Russian war to have influenced more key actors in the region to change, rather than reinforce, previous behaviors. We need to know that our “friends” in the Kremlin are well aware that many negative things can be encouraged in the region. I would therefore urge everyone to have as much cooperation and positive statements as possible as soon as possible, before the Kremlin tries to take advantage of our quarrels, the lack of unity between us and within the region.
Manuel Sarrazin, 40, has been a member of the Bundestag for Bündnis 90 / Die Grünen from 2008 to 2021 and is President of the Southeast European Society, the most important institution for academic and political consultation on Balkan issues in Germany. Since March 1, 2022, he is the Special Representative of the German Federal Government for the Western Balkans./DW
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