Why will Brussels create a new Yugoslavia?

German newspaper “Die Welt” under title “Why Brussels will create a new Yugoslavia”, writes that a number of states in the Balkans want to be part of the EU, but because the European Union is currently unable to make new admissions, it requires that it buys time through an idea previously born in the Balkans. Today's “President Alexander Vuciq had formulated it: would it not be more practical to connect Balkan countries in a common economic zone? This would be the first step for EU membership. The EU gratefully accepted this idea”, the German newspaper writes, naming the customs union a good instrument for the EU to buy time. “The EU does not have to accept new members, but at the same time preserves its influence in the Balkans. ”

<x0) The great times of expansion have passed, so for years it has been discussed as a customs union instrument, an instrument that disables the powder barrel called the Balkans and on the other hand does not force the EU to expand.
EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn has brought the “positive variable” formula, which could influence the detension of ethnic conflicts in the region. But this would actually be a rebirth of old Yugoslavia, of course only as customs union and transportation. Without Croatia and Slovenia being part of the EU. But this time together with Albania. Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia - would thus have a union of Yugoslavia's poorest successor states. You can understand why Belgrade likes that. In such a conspiracy, Serbia would be a heavy burden. ”

The German newspaper recalls that old Yugoslavia was disbanded sick from internal conflicts, especially the rivalry between Serbs and Croats. A new Western Balkan union would also be bipolar. It would be dominated by 8 million Serbs in Serbia and Bosnia, as well as 5 million Albanians in Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, who would compete with and against each other. ”

EU Values: No Setbacks for Balkans

While the newspaper “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” under the title “Balkan future is in the EU” publishes an article by Social Democrat Party spokesman Niels Anne. “in the Western Balkans national elites risk fragile peace, to draw attention to the failures of their governments”, writes Anne and requires the EU at the Trieste summit Wednesday to react to this irresponsible policy.

Social Democrats' spokesperson for foreign policy, Niels Annen, emphasises that the Western Balkans have returned to the agenda, but with internal policy news coming from the region like mutual provocations between Serbia and Kosovo, the Albanian rhetoric of Kosovo politicians, the violent offensive of the Macedonian parliament. These “recall the 1990s, but the historical parallel is wrong. Because the engine of these tensions is not ethnic tensions, but the interests of national elites, who want to secure
Their power to undermine democratic reforms. ”

Niels Annen writes in the article of “FAZ” that current developments in the region, the EU should not respond with the release of membership conditions. “A geopolitical strategy destroys the credibility of the EU. Governments in the Balkans must admit, that EU values, respect for democratic institutions, opposition rights and freedom of the press are not available. / DW