The former European Union special envoy for Kosovo during 1998-1999, Ambassador Wolfgang PETRITSCH, says that the Balkans is no longer the focus of American foreign policy, but China and Russia.
In an exclusive interview for KosovaPress, Ambassador PETRITSCH said that the crisis in Ukraine is an immediate challenge for President Biden and Europe, as it challenges the experience and determination of President Biden.
Ambassador PETRITSCH also spoke about the tensions in the Balkans and their connection with the developments in Ukraine.
The fact that he has been the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina for three years, he sees the tensions in this country very serious, but does not think that a new war could break out as the USA, EU and NATO are ready to intervene.
Regarding the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, ambassador PETRISCH expects a new dynamic and hopes a lot in the experience of Ambassador Chris Hill and other members of President Biden’s team that will deal with the Balkans.
Interviewed by: Fadil MIFTARI
KosovaPress: Mr Ambassador last year marked great efforts of the West to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, but in fact the meetings between the leaders of the two countries did not bring any results. From your perspective, from a diplomat with experience in relations between Kosovo and Serbia, where was the problem?
PETRITSCH: The year 2021 was a time of many political changes – both in the region and internationally – which made it difficult to unlock the stalled mediation efforts of the European Union. Not least the change of government in Prishtina, which was a historical departure from 20 years of KLA-dominated governments. This hiatus in the politics of Kosovo contributed to the scarce progress in the Belgarde-Prishtina Dialogue. But it was important that the top-level meetings happened at all. They have to get to know each other.
It also took some time before Vucic and Thaci could talk to each other. I remember when I proposed to the Austrian Federal President Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen to invite both to the Annual meeting in the Tyrolean village of Alpbach it was quite an open and serious exchange between the two leaders. Now that Prime Minister Kurti is leading the government, there is obviously a readiness to continue the Dialogue. We will see what Mr Kurti’s strategy will be. However there are elections scheduled in Serbia in early April and this means another necessary delay until the president is elected and the government in Belgrade is formed.
KosovaPress: Do you think the West’s strategy regarding dialogue needs to change?
PETRITSCH: There is always a necessity to adapt the process to the new circumstances. But in essence the Dialogue should be continued. I believe that the US support will be more in line with the EU now, than it used to be the case under President Trump.
KosovaPress: US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Southern and Central Europe Gabriel Escobar warns of new sanctions for politicians who in some way undermine the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. Can this change the dynamics of the dialogue and the current attitudes of the parties?
PETRITSCH: In my recent talks in Washington I got away with the impression that the Biden administration is eager to use sanctions as a policy instrument in regions where it does not see much progress. This is the case with the Bosnian-Serb Presidency member, Mr. Milorad Dodik, who – after 2017 – was again sanctioned, together with his legal adviser and a television station close to Mr. Dodik.
Whether more sanctions will follow and if they will also affect the Belgrade-Pristhina Dialogue – I don’t know. It will very much depend on the EU which is more restrained when it comes to such harsh measures. I do hope that in the Dialogue political responsibility and the readiness for compromise will prevail.
KosovaPress: Some analysts have raised concerns that while President Biden-led West has focused on the Ukraine crisis, to avoid a major confrontation with the US and the West over Ukraine, Russian President Putin is trying to fuel a crisis between Serbia and Kosovo. Is the crisis in Ukraine related to the developments in the Balkans?
PETRITSCH: You are right, the conflicts on the Eastern and Southern borders of the EU are somehow interconnected by the fact that Russian President Putin is abusing open questions – like in the region of the Western Balkans – to pursue his distractive strategy to weaken Europe. I am convinced that the leaders in the countries of the Western Balkans realize that they must not be dependent on Moscow, rather to establish good partnership relations with Brussels and the important capitals like Berlin.
KosovaPress: For two decades in a row until 2021 in the Balkans it was almost just a serious problem, that is between Kosovo and Serbia, but after many years the crisis in Bosnia has caused great concern in the region. What fate awaits Bosnia. Is there a risk of its dissolution or will the situation normalize?
PETRITSCH: As you can imagine I am particularly concerned about Bosnia and Herzegovina since I spent three very dramatic years as the international community’s High Representative. During my tenure important reforms were achieved like the creation of the State Court and the Prosecutor’s Office, the return of close to a million refugees, the reconstruction of hundreds of thousands of homes and the establishment of a functioning state government.
Since many years now the international community has not done a good job in Bosnia and the nationalistic politicians of all three peoples – Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats – have established a captured state with rampant corruption and links to the Balkans mafia which is the only truly multi-ethnic organisation, because the criminals cooperate across ethnic divides.
Now the US and the EU are finally taking resolute steps. There is more to be expected in order to avoid a split-up of Bosnia. I am confident that there will be no war since both the EU and NATO are on alert and ready to intervene if something bad should happen.
KosovaPress: President Biden has appointed the most eminent American diplomats to deal with the Balkans. I have the impression that you know everyone because they are diplomats who have been very engaged in the issue of Kosovo at the time when you were also the EU Special Envoy for Kosovo. Do you expect stronger American engagement in the Balkans this year?
PETRITSCH: Yes, it is quite interesting to see so many old US friends to return to the Balkans. I had a long conversation with my dear friend Chris Hill in Washington in December and we exchanged our opinions on the current situation some 20 years after we were actively involved in the conflict. I believe the appointment of Hill to be Washington’s envoy to Belgrade is a clear signal by President Biden that he wants to see positive results in the region. The Balkans is no longer the focus of America’s foreign policy. It is China and Russia. The Ukraine crisis is the immediate challenge for Biden and Europe. There his experience and resolve is challenged.
It will thus very much depend on the willingness of Belgrade and Prishtina to seriously re-engage in the quest for a solution. Ambassador Hill will most certainly put his enormous experience which he has assembled in far more difficult conflict spots like Korea and Irak to good use. Expect a new momentum in the Dialogue process.
KosovaPress: It was a period of several years when Great Britain somehow withdrew from its direct involvement in the developments in the Balkans. Finally, Britain appoints a special envoy for the Western Balkans, while Austria, your country, has begun to play a more active role in developments in the region. Does this mean that countries (Britain, France and Austria) that have historically been active in Balkan developments want to use their past experience to bring peace to the Balkans?
PETRITSCH: After having left the European Union, Great Britain now has to define its own foreign policy. It was a good decision to appoint a Special Envoy since London has always played a big role in the region. I remember when I as the EU Special Envoy traveled to Kosovo many times the British Ambassador was on my side; and he was very helpful and knowledgeable. The British presence in the Western Balkans is a clear sign that the situation is viewed by its Foreign Office as volatile. I am sure the EU-US-UK troika will be an important player. In addition, France now has the rotating EU Presidency and President Macron has put the Western Balkans high up on his European agenda. Clearly, the most immediate question is the Bulgarian blockade of North Macedonia’s start to EU-membership negotiations. I hope France will be able to unblock the Bulgarian Veto. It is also important for Albania who in a way has suffered collateral damage, so to speak, from Bulgaria’s intransigence.
My own country Austria continues to be engaged in the region, in fact the Western Balkans is the top priority of our Foreign Ministry. The traditionally close relations with Prishtina, but also the close relations with Belgrade and the other capitals, gives Vienna a unique opportunity to put its good services as a neutral country to constructively support the EU-integration of the whole region. Austria belongs to the top investors in the region; Vienna is a multicultural city thanks to the great number of peoples from former Yugoslavia.
KosovaPress: You have substantial experience in resolving crises in the Balkans and from this perspective I am interested in your opinion on the Open Balkans initiative. I am asking you hypothetically, – with this initiative, what will the Balkans look like in 2025?
PETRITSCH: It is not the first time that a regional free trade …was proposed. This time by Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. I am aware that there is the Berlin Process model and Prime Minister Kurti has yet another proposal. By the way, Brussels has proposed a similar idea, called Common Regional Market.
But as far as I can see there is not much difference to the Open Balkans initiative. However, I see the point of those who are sceptical that the Belgrade-Skopje-Tirana initiative would be discriminatory towards smaller national economies. These concerns could easily be eliminated, I am convinced, on the basis of inclusivness and equity.
Whatever the end-result – and I urge swift decisions – an open trade and economic space with a free flow of goods, services and peoples across borders would be profitable for the region and serve as a sort of training ground for eventual EU membership.
In this way 2025 – which is only three years away – could see a renewed dynamic in regional development. And this should be the common goal.
KosovaPress: At the end of last summer, you had a meeting with Prime Minister Kurti, if you can share with us your experience in meeting with Mr. Kurti regarding his position in relation to the Dialogue and “Open Balkan”?
PETRITSCH: It was not my first meeting with Mr. Kurti whom I have known since my days as EU Special Envoy. I was also active to get him out of Milosevic’s prison. This time we had a good exchange of views. The Prime Minister is fully up-to-date when it comes to international developments which is a necessary precondition for a successful head of Government. We addressed the state of affairs in the Dialogue process and spoke about the political situation in general. The Prime Minister elaborated on his priorities, including employment for the young and the fight against corruption. I could inform him about the rather turbulent political situation in Austria which sometimes reminds me of the Balkans. I stressed the fact that a good government is one that reaches out to the minorities and tries to be inclusive.
KosovaPress: I remember that in 2018 in an interview you warned that in the next EU elections, if not a victory, but it will be a very big advantage for right-wing populists. You mentioned some European politicians like Mr. Orban and some others that they are very good friends of Putin, while you have warned that they will have their commissioners in the next European Commission. Has this situation happened and does Russia have influence for decision-making in the structures of the European Union?
PETRITSCH: Well, I was only in part right. But nevertheless, Orban or Janša from Slovenia exert a great influence on the Western Balkans. And this is not always condusive to a better relationship with Brussels. I have sometimes the impression, that even the Hungarian EU-Commissioner for enlargement is on occasion more Hungarian than European.
Other EU members like France, the Netherlands and Denmark have remained sceptical about a fast accession of the six states of the Western Balkans. They want to see a strengthening of the liberal democratic system in the EU and not of Orban’s illiberal democracy.
Russia, but also China and Turkey as well as some Arab states, play increasingly important roles. They follow very different political and economic rules which stand in sharp contrast to the European tradition of liberal democracy. Most of the EU members want to see a strengthening of its democratic model take root in the Western Balkans. This would definitely help to alleviate concerns of the enlargement sceptics.
KosovaPress: Do you expect that during this year there can be any progress in the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia?
PETRITSCH: Yes, I believe that in the second half of 2022 we will see progress. But for this to be true I expect from all sides a serious effort to truly tackle the many still unresolved issues. My position is that the implementation of the agreed Association would be considered a break through by the international community.
KosovaPress: Four more weeks Kosovo marks the 14th anniversary of its independence. Please tell us: what are your impressions of this journey of Kosovo?
PETRITSCH: Kosovo has come a long way. It has traveled a difficult road and it was not always easy. Sometimes mistakes were made, but all in all I believe that with the successful conclusion of the EU mediated Dialogue, Kosovo will enter a new and decisive phase in its approach to the European Union.
/Ambassador Wolfgang Petritsch is an eminent European diplomat with long experience in all processes for achieving peace in the Balkans. He was the EU’s Special Envoy for Kosovo (1998-1999), EU chief negotiator at the Kosovo peace talks in Rambouillet and Paris (1999), and then High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina (1999-2002). He served as the Austrian ambassador to the UN in Geneva (2002-2008) and to the OECD in Paris (2008-2013). He was the Joseph A. Schumpeter Fellow at Harvard University (2013-2014) and currently serves as the President of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation/.
