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Realpolitik “ Flash” No. 23
17 – 31 MAY 2022
EXCLUSIVELY at ARGUMENTUM,
DR. JORGJI KOTE, a renowned diplomatic analyst, “ dots the i’s and crosses the t’s” on the 6 major events in only 1000 words
1. Yes, all is okey, but poor Abil passed away! This Albanian saying comes to mind while reading the Resolution by the EU Parliament on 19 May on Albania. With positive evaluations, issues and the recomendation to open the negotiations with the EU this June. But, then, it highlights not 1, 2 or 3, but 23 points with critical remarks and requirements for Albania’s government. There is no area untouched – free elections, respect for the opposition, crime and corruption, media, public transparency and others. To make them even clear, the Chair of the Foreign Committee of the EU Parliament, the German David McAllister was in Tirana on 23/24 May with 6 members of the delegation representing all political wings.
2.More confusion, little information was the case during the visit by the Greek Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias on 23 May in Tirana. With nothing new in “his pockets” but only promises, the latter repeated over and over again during the last two years. He announced it as a” sihariq” the news that the disputed Case of the Ionnian Sea will be referred to the Hague, although he told the same in October 2020; without mentioning why, how and when things “have stuck in the mud” that this burning file is not yet sent to the Hague; but he revealed in Athens the day after that the delay is due to President Meta, who does not give the permission for the talks; President Meta dismissed it stating convincingly that no authorization has been demanded by him hitherto. The same applies to the pledge to abrogate the law on the state of war and the greek minorities, when we are more advanced thereto. The bitter news was Dendia’s threat that Albania should forget its EU membership if it mentions the Çami issue!
3.On greek calends may be postponed the EU Membership of Western Balkans. This is due to the new EU political trend, as the President of the EU Council, Charles Michel confirmed during his visit in Tirana on 20 May. In fact, he did officially support the new vision on Europe unfolded by French President and EU Chair in Office Macron on 9 May before the EU Parliament in Strasbourg.
Charles Michel spoke at length on the “European Political Comunity“. Apart from 27 EU states, it may also include as Associated Members those countries that may not wish or may not be able to join the EU, which may take a very long time. Part of this Community will also be the 6 Western Balkans states, Ukraine, Georgjia, Moldova and other countries, with which the EU maintains close coperation.
In more details on this subject we have writen in the article “ Looking forward to the European June“ at ARGUMENTUM.
4. Again “NO“ to Open Balkans! This was the main message given in the encounters of the Montengrin President Dukanovic in Pristina on 18-19 May and by Kosovo’s PM Kurti in Berlin in his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz on 17 May. A fully correct and grounded “NO“, especially now that Serbia continues not to align with the EU in imposing sanctions against Russia and with other refractory attitudes; the latter promise nothing for approachment, because reconciliation is a big word, whereas the dialogue with Belgrade has become pratically impossible. Finally, it was also the EU Parliament that stated this “NO“ in its latest Resolution on 19 May. As to the “YES“ by the President of the EU Council in Tirana on 20 May, it was simply personal, as he himsef said. Frankly speaking, he did that simply not to spoil the political humor of his Albanian host. As we have mentioned earlier, the EU Commission, Council and Parliament do not mention “Open Balkans“ even as a term, but the WB Common Regional Market instead. Thus, Open Balkans is reduced to an isolated trilateral, designed mostly to infuse some diplomatic oxigene to closed Serbia. Besides, as mentioned before, instead of uniting, “Open Balkans“ is dividing the countries even within themselves, as it occurred in hot clash of arguments during the Summit in Buda on 29 May between the Montenegrin Prime Minister Abazovic and Kosovo’s President, Mme Osmani.
5. NATO is in trouble due to Turkish veto against Sweden and Finland, after they have filed their application for NATO Membership; exactly when, thanks to their higest democratic standards and their close cooperation with NATO, this membership was thought as a mere formality, a matter of months only. Turkey demands the extradition of 33 allegedly terrorist elements of the PKK, give up their support the syrian kurd segment and lift their embargo on the export of arms decided in 2020; and as a whole their commitment to the fight against terrorism. After multiple diplomatic demarches hitherto, it seems that Erdogan is less angry and getting closer to Finland, but not with Sweden, evethough the latter is doing its best to be more favourable to him. Let us hope that with the last minute attempts and interventions, Erdogan will calm down and 2023 will find both Sweden and Finland in NATO.
6. Kyiv in, Moscow out! This refers to the World Economic Forum ( WEF) held in Davos from 23 – 26 May, with the presence of 2500 senior political and business personalities and 50 world leaders; without those from the USA, Russia, China, India and others. This time, its major logo was War, Ukraine and Russian aggression. Many calls were made here to help Ukraine with aids and mainly MONEY terribly needed to cover the war expenses and country’s reconstruction. The ukrainian President Zelenski appealed on all participants that each morning to ask themselves “What can I do more today for Ukraine?“ This Forum did also impose sanctions in Russia by expelling it from WEF with all its companies, even Russian House there“ Whereas Ukraine was firmly supported with the presence of 40 additional companies, 4 free of charge. Therefore, the world largest and most importnt forum finds Kyiv in and Moscow out. A huge loss also for the Russian international image, given the WEF exceptional planetary echo in its 51 years of existence, as its 84 year old founder, Prof. Claus Schwabb underlined.
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