A serious challenge for the West!

One cannot go to Brussels with “ quarrels and wrangles”! Mayor-elected  in Himara, Prisoner in Fier and MEP in Brussels!

REAL POLITIK FLASH NR. 72

 17 JUNE – 1 JULY 2024

With “ flash” comments on the 3 major  events in only 1000 words by the well-known analyst,   

 DR. JORGJI KOTE

 Grand Master in  Diplomacy

1.Serious challenge for the West is the alliance among Rusia, North Korea and Vietnam shown also during the brotherly Rusian President Putin’s visit  there on 18 – 21 June. With well-known results, glamorous meetings, high-flown statements, agrements signed and  determination to stand together against the West. An alliance supported also by Peking, Teheran and  other large countries of  BRICS that in August will meet in Russia as its chairmanship in office this year. This strategic alliance is extending also into the area  of modern and nuclear armament. Russia has pledged to review its nuclear doctrine, provoking fevers and uncertainty in the West. This is why it is high time, as many experts and analysts say that the USA and the EU  take these developments and threats more seriously. Not as some senior western experts and officials who continue to under-estimate these military and diplomatic threats and the capacities of the above-mentioned states to do the worst. With light-minded theories and unjustifiable slowleness in practical terms. When the authoritarian regimes are ready to decide and operate there with weapons that one cannot imagine. Just as  those in the West who thought that Rusia would  not make an aggression against Ukraine. Historic experience shows  that  dictators do not care for their enemy strategies and tactics on the paper, nor for trust and understanding; they know and fear and may withdraw only through the language of force. Let us hope that these dangerous developments will make  western leaders sober-minded. The NATO Summit on its 75^th Anniversary in Uashington in  July is the best opportunity to put an end to waor of words, to the tactics “wait and see” and to step up efforts in defence against any possible attack; but now to support vigorously, without rervations and delay Ukraine, so that the Russian defeat would begin there.

2. With  quarrels and wrangles one cannot go to Brussels!

Apparently, the new leaders in Skopje, as we say in Albania “ have ascended  the horse on its back side” With a strange haste and impatience from the first day of their swear in office, the President, Prime Minister and Parliament’s Speaker spelled the word “ Macedonia” without “ North”. Violating in this way the spirit and letters of Prespa Agreement. Par consequence, instead of congratulations, we saw a political storm raised in Athens and in Brussels. What is the worse, instead of overcoming this awkward moment with soft diplomacy, North Macedonian leaders went on escalating these nationalist tongue with  “ wrangles” against Athens, showing their “teeth and muscles” in a battle which as their long time friends that we are, we are  afraid it is lost before starting. His occurs precisely now when people in Northern Macedonia can hardly wait to see “the green light” for the  start of accession negotiations, when the name issue took away some 15 years from this goal. This adds to the  deadlock with Sofi related to the required constitutional amendments promised two years ago. This diplomatic wrangle is indeed too much for Skopje’s shoulders to bear!  In the worst case, this conduct “in extremis” with Athens and Brussels threatens to postpone  its EU accession to Greek calendas. Now, one should know that when joining EU, one cannot claim absolute sovranism as before ’90. Certainly, that country has to show restraint and withdraw a little while, may also hand over some sovereignty which it is going to get it back even to a larger extent after its EU membership. Otherwise, what’s the use of attempting to join the EU, in such a club when one has to “shake the legs according to the music” of each and every EU Member State.!

Therefore,  Skopje should react with moderation and responsibility, words alone are not sufficient. Well,  someone may say why is that, just because Athens or Sofie demands it? Yes, certainly, because each country in the EU weighs. Besides, without solving bilateral issues, they may become European cases and the responsibility in this case would self-understandably fall first on the candidate states without excluding more tolerance from a EU Member State as Greece.

3. Mayor elected in Himara, Prisoner in Fier and  MEP in Brussels!

The same challenge i.e. the practical opening of accession negotiations with the EU is for Albania after the Greek veto due to the case of Mr. Beleri, elected Mayor of town Himara who is in prison for electoral fraud. This was broadly covered also at ARGUMENTUM. After the well-known deadlock, as it is known, Mr. Beleri won in the European elections of 9 June and is Member of European Parliament ( MEP) for  “ Nea Demokracia” of PM Mitsotakis. Thus, like it or not, Beleri is becoming not only a Greek – Albanian but a European issue as well. Under the EU rules, when a person is elected MEP, he/she is released from prison, due to its European immunity. This occurred a few days ago with an Italian MEP condemned in Hungary. In Albania’s case it’s different, since we are not EU member; however, our political and juridical authorities have the opportunity to show more understanding and tolerance in this special case. Moreover that this October, Mr. Beleri will be free and join the EU Parliament in Brussels; besides, he has declared to appeal to the European Human Rights Court in Strassburg, where anything could happen, including his innocence.

Therefore, if we want indeed to open the negotiations and in 2030 become EU members, we should display this European spirit and values and find out a solution together with Greece. In fact,  this issue could and should have been settled much earlier, namely  the permission to swear in office as a Mayor making just a  small amendment to the relevant law; if there is a will, this could be done even now over night,  as it is been the case before, not only with laws but even  with constitutional amendments. Otherwise,  Beleri case and Greece will be standing  over  our heads as  “Damocle’s sword”. Then, our calls to open the negotiations because we have done  our homework, which maybe true would be lost in the European political desert, if we do not fill the existing gaps and holes with a EU Member State and neighbour!