Croatia: Military initiative with Albania, Kosovo open even for partners who want stability

That is how the government of Croatia comments the declaration signed by the three countries on March 18th.

According to her, the initiative can join all countries that, as well, want to provide support to Kosovo and Albania on their European and Euro-Atlantic path.

Its target “is not to create any military alliance”, writes Radio Free Europe.

The “Such an alliance, besides NATO membership, is neither necessary at all”, is highlighted in the Croatian government's written response, sent to Radio Free Europe.

Unlike Albania and Croatia, Kosovo is not a NATO member.

In his first response to the initiative, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has said that with the signing of the document, Croatia, Albania and Kosovo “have opened an arms race in the region” and “have violated the 1996 sub-regional agreement”.

This agreement, which concerns the allowed quotas in arms, was then signed by Bosnia and Herzegovina's two entities -- the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska -- as well as by Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which consisted of Serbia and Montenegro, broadcast Periscope.

In the statement given Radio Free Europe, the Croatian government says this agreement has been implemented consistently for 29 years.

She, too, recalls that neither Albania nor Kosovo are parties to that agreement.

“in this context, it is completely in vain to connect to the joint Declaration, signed recently between Albania, Croatia and Kosovo, whose main goal is to strengthen co-operation between the ministries of defence of friendly countries, partners and allies”, the Croatian Government's response reported.

Serbia's government and the defence ministry of this country did not answer Radio Free Europe's question about why they see the initiative of the three Balkan countries as a threat.

But, Daniel Serwer, professor at Johns Hopkins University in the US, says official Belgrade “well knows” that NATO allies cannot act unilaterally against Serbia.

Furthermore, the three countries mentioned pose no threat to Serbia”, says Serwer for Radio Free Europe.

The declaration of the three states he says he sees as “a movement contributing to stability, not to destabilisation”.

He estimates that Kosovo has acted “

NATO also commented on the Declaration, naming it a trilateral agreement between the three countries.

“NATO, as an organisation, is not part of the initiative and, for this reason, has not had any role in the consultancy process”, the Free Europe Radio reportedly provided.

Why do you bother Belgrade?

Vuk Vuksanovic, a researcher at the nongovernmental Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, says officials in Belgrade are using the Declaration “to draw attention to” from internal problems.

He alludes to mass protests that have involved Serbia for more than four months. Protesters, led by students, seek political and criminal responsibility for the deaths of 16 people from the collapse of a shelter at Novi Sad's Iron Station last November.

Vuksanovic says Belgrade considers Zagreb's participation as particularly “provocational”.

“I don't think it has anything to do with Albania, considering that Vuciq has, or at least has had a very cooperative relationship with Prime Minister Edi Rama”, he says.

However, for Serbian Defence Minister Bratislav Gashic, the trilateral memorandum is “a provocative initiative of neighbouring countries, which conflicts with efforts to strengthen regional security”.

“Kosovo and Metohia is an autonomous province within the Republic of Serbia, despite the fact that some countries, including Albania and Croatia, have recognised its illegal and self-declared independence”, Gashiq has said.

Kosovo has declared independence in 2008, but continues not to be recognised by Serbia.

According to Gashiqi, Zagreb and Tirana have long tried to put Kosovo into NATO “through the back door”.

But according to him, these two countries are helping the development of the Kosovo Army, which Serbia considers illegal.

“Crazy, such a scenario is not acceptable to our country”, Gashic has said.

What is the legal force of the Declaration?

Vuksanovic says this is not a typical interstate agreement, according to the rules of international public law.

“Memorandums for co-operation are not legally binding in nature”, according to him.

He emphasises that this is a sub-regional agreement between two NATO members with a third party Kosovo.

Croatia's participation, he sees it as an effort to achieve political points in the regional plan.

Whom do Zagreb, Tirana and Pristina see as a threat?

In Response REL, the Croatian government stresses that defence co-operation between Zagreb, Tirana and Pristina is “high quality” and that the Declaration has only intended to improve it.

The “area of Southeast Europe is exposed to security threats, especially those from the hybrid and cyberfields whose purpose is to destabilise the region”, the Declaration said.

It does not specify where threats come from.

Who is “the directory of peace and stability” in the region?

In addition to rejecting the Declaration, Serbian officials have repeatedly reiterated that Belgrade remains committed to maintaining regional peace and stability.

Thus, Serbia's Defence Ministry has said that, for this interest, it will continue to co-operate with NATO member states.

But, Professor Serwer says the only <x0...gara of weapons in the region is what Serbia leads for years.

Serbia is not a factor of peace and stability in the region. Vuciq, simply, deceives naive diplomats”, he says.

Serwer adds that Belgrade continues to reject implementation of agreements with Kosovo, as well as to offer support to the Sesciist politics in Republika Srpska, led by Milorad Dodik.

But according to him, power in Belgrade, which has not cut ties with the Kremlin even after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, encourages prorus policies in both Serbia and Montenegro.

“None of this contributes to peace and stability”, the Serwer concludes.