Trumpi, and its Balkans Agreement

The Russians are coming! This was heard more frequently, when the European Union in last autumn with its “no” for membership negotiations with Albania and Northern Macedonia allowed it to pull out of the most important leverage in the region. Who would be led into the emptiness left by Europeans? Some also pointed to China. Don't the Chinese show interest in the Balkans for years even with their attempt to take their place in Europe, economically and politically? Similarly, Turkey, a regional power, was considered a secret. But, in reality, the European country is taking on a power with which Europeans had not calculated: USA.

Two special officers named Washington in recent months for a region that was thought to have long lost interest. Since then, the tired Balkan region has also turned into a trumpet foreign policy playing field. This is his doctrine: In any conflict in the world, contestants, often strong men”, must agree to his image. And they don't have to worry about international rules, prior deals, international law, interests of the third. With this strategy, Trump has not succeeded in any corner of the world. But, the Balkans, so they probably think in the White House, can be a welcome site to practice. Actors there are weak, and they have an unimaginable respect for America.

Still unappointed, Trump's chargeman, American Ambassador to Berlin Richard Green, began with strong diplomacy: In Kosovo it takes a strong <x0-source” under the Trump model, which would be Hashim Thaci to retake the staff. That his party in the last elections in October failed, and Thaci himself is an unloving figure in Kosovo, does not miss any work for the White House. If the US has won fully in Kosovo, that will be indicated Monday when the winner of parliamentary elections before four months of appearance in Parliament. Americans do not want it and, instead, work for a multilateral, uncertain coalition, against which Thaci does not find it difficult. Which are foreign ambassadors who decide who comes and who doesn't come to the government, that's what Kosovars are used to. Of the 45 percent going to the polls, almost one third do it to save the job - losing the party you're in is the job.

Kosovo and Serbia must trade territories, those populated with Albanians in Serbia towards those with Serbs in Kosovo. This is “deal” that Thaci and the Serbian president, Vuciq, would willingly reach each other. Only at first glance would the exchange of territories be a solution to the still open Kosovo issue. All experiences with supposedly <x2) clean solutions” in the Balkans are to be feared: When one country's population is enough “pure”, authoritarian leaders from both sides of minorities no longer need to care for them and especially for the powers that protect them. They can feel gentlemen in their homes and do and leave whatever they want.

In Kosovo, there is no sympathy for “deal”, nor for authoritarian politicians and foreign detection. But if this antipathy is enough to resist the temptations and threats from Washington, it could be suspected. Even if Albin Kurti, known as a rebel, becomes head of the government against US will, pressure from the United States will remain. Europeans who dominate economically cannot help. They were even politicians from different parties, who suddenly thought they were going to write stories, and brought a fatal exchange of territories between Thaci and Vucinqi to the international scene: A liberal president from France, a green one from Austria, a conservative commission chairman from Luxembourg, and a social Democrat in charge of Italy for the horror of Germans and British and their diplomats, and all who recognise the region.

Europe has failed again in the Balkans and again it is Americans who enter this vacuum as then in the Bosnian war and twice in Kosovo. The good news isn't if you see the results: Bosnia is divided so far, Serbia is a wavering candidate who plays with Europe, Putin and others who want to influence the Balkans. Kosovo is a protectorate of powers that do not endure each other. The interest leading the United States lets you think worse: The American president demands in the election year a triumph in foreign policy and uses this case to weaken even more the EU, for which he has no respect. Since “Whether they fight where they are or not, this no longer plays a role for the Balkans. / DW/