German MP criticises silence for Albanians in Serbia, backs Kosovo's CoE membership

Mr. Ahmetovic on Friday you gave a speech in Bundestag on the occasion of the Srebrenica memorial day. You are personally affected by the Bosnian War, your grandfather's remains were found in a mass grave and identified only in 2016. How did you experience this argument?

Ahmetovic: I am very grateful that a mutual debate developed in the German Bundestag. We remembered not only the 30th anniversary of the Srebrenica genocide, but also for the first time International Day of Memory for this crime. Last year, the German government, in co-operation with Rwanda, managed to win the majority at the UN General Assembly to proclaim this day as an international memorial day. This debate was vital. Even after 30 years there are still political actors in the Western Balkans in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but even in Belgrade, who deny genocide, try to distort history and deglost war criminals like Ratko Mladic or Radovan Karadić. This is unacceptable. We have responsibilities against victims, family members, and the entire region.

Srebrenica was a genocide on European soil. What lessons can be learned from this about the current situation in the Western Balkans especially in Kosovo?

Ahmetovic: We must follow the situation closely and consistently in the Western Balkans. Politics for the Balkans cannot be a matter of conjucture that should be a permanent part of our foreign policy agenda. Therefore, I regularly follow developments in the region, Albania, Serbia and Kosovo. Our goal is stability in the region. For Kosovo, this means concretely: we want this country to become a member of the Council of Europe as soon as possible if it were dependent on the SPD, better yesterday than tomorrow. Srebrenica reminds us every day, that the Western Balkans are not peripheral, but central parts of Europe. Many people from the Balkans live in Germany today, are very well integrated and are German citizens. That's what's up. The region should be an integral part of our foreign and security policies, and this is a reality under this government, especially Kosovo.

According to our information, there has been an effort in Bundestag to adopt a resolution on Srebrenica. Why did this initiative fail?

Ahmetovic: I can say for sure that today we have come to commemorate the International Genocide Day in Srebrenica in a worthy form of size and a framework that responds to the seriousness of this issue. I delivered a personal speech and placed the Srebrenica memorial flower on the jacket collar as a clear sign of solidarity. Another strong sign was the presence of two survivors of genocide. Besides Bosnia's ambassador, Kosovo's ambassador, my political partner Faruk Ajeti, was present a diplomat who does a great job here in Germany. I also want to stress: The SPD parliamentary group in Bundestag has approved a position of its own for the 30th anniversary and for the First International Srebrenica Memorial Day, and has done so unanimously. That was just the starting point. Next year comes the second International Memorial Day, then third, fourth, and we will grow and improve our commitment.

You mentioned the Council of Europe. Is there any concrete plan to put Kosovo's membership on the agenda of the Council of Ministers?

Ahmetovic: I can't mention a specific date, because that would be irresponsible. But as a spokesman for the foreign policy of the SPD parliamentary group together with my colleague Frank Schwabe we will do everything we can to keep our course. We want Kosovo to become a member of the Council of Europe. We were disappointed that this was not achieved in the previous legislature, although there was a strategic moment. If he had exerted more pressure, perhaps it would have happened. However, we must not give up. At the jubilee of the Council of Europe in Bundestag I clearly said: My wish is for Kosovo, this new democracy, to become a full member as soon as possible if it were up to us from the SPD, yesterday and not tomorrow.

To whom was more pressure put last year?

Ahmetovic: The German government should have exerted more pressure on the Council of Europe member states. Some countries were opposed. But Germany now has more weight in Europe and we must act with confidence but also humbly. Like the SPD, we're gonna make sure the government is more active in this direction. Foreign Minister, Mr. Wadefhul, himself, has indicated that Kosovo must become a permanent member of the Council of Europe. We will remember this promise and judge it according to it.

Another guarantee of peace is EU membership. Albania and Montenegro hope to become members by 2030. Is that realistic? And we hear about associated membership. What do we mean by that term?

Ahmetovic: One of the greatest lessons from the Srebrenica genocide is: the process of integration of six Western Balkan countries that are not yet EU members must take serious momentum. If we want sustainable stability and security in the region, these countries including Kosovo must have a real, transparent and sincere perspective for membership. And one more thing: NATO membership is as important as it is in the EU. Both levels of political integration and collective security are closely linked. Of course, there's nothing. People have not left the Balkans in the 1990s to seek better jobs. They fled because of war, persecution, deportation, and crime. For that never to happen again, lasting involvement in the EU and NATO is needed. I can't say when this is gonna happen. But I can promise you: as the SPD's representative of foreign policy, I'll give you everything to make this perspective real. The truth is also that states themselves Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Northern Macedonia must do their homework. The responsibility is mutual./Periscopi/