President Milanović in Skopje: Croatia and Slovenia can help this part of Europe integrate into EU, delaying tactics have lasted too long
The President of the Republic Zoran Milanović, as co-chair with the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar, participated in the Brdo-Brijuni Process Summit of heads of state held in Skopje, capital of the Republic of North Macedonia.
“This is a valuable type of dialogue. The atmosphere at today’s meeting was good, better than at the last two, and that is an encouraging sign”, the President of the Republic Zoran Milanović stated after the Summit at a joint press conference with the President of the Republic of North Macedonia Stevo Pendarovski and the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar.
The heads of state of the Brdo-Brijuni Process accepted a Declaration today that calls on accelerating the process of EU accession for the Western Balkans countries, combating the effects of climate change, and retaining the youth within the Western Balkans. The Declaration stated: “Both the EU as well as the Western Balkans should be ready for the enlargement, as soon as possible, but no later than 2030 in order to achieve this goal”.
Furthermore, President Milanović indicated there was discussion on topics that connect or have such potential, while the topics that have not yet been resolved since experience has shown that it is counterproductive, even harmful, were not discussed. “Croatia and Slovenia can help this part of Europe integrate into the European Union, and that the philosophy and politics of delaying tactics does not last as long as it has, however, unfortunately, the resources and the powers available to us are limited”, the President of the Republic underlined.
President Milanović – as the Slovenian President – feels that the Brdo-Brijuni Process should continue. “This is the only process under a regional, local ownership, i.e. there are no mentors on the side, there is no commission”, President Milanović replied when asked by a journalist whether the Brdo-Brijuni Process Summit of heads of state should continue. He added that he personally does not like it and does not see a need for promoters on the side, i.e. mentors of the Process. “We are of legal age in the political sense as states, as political nations, and we discuss in this format. I think it is good and that it should continue”, he noted.
Asked if for accelerating the process of accession to the European Union the implementation of reforms are more important than solving mutual bilateral problems, the Croatian President replied that both are important. “Open issues exist, especially between Serbia and Kosovo that have not reciprocally recognized each other. Those are processes that unfold in parallel, simultaneously, they are permeated. I feel that this type of dialogue is valuable, that the worst is when telephone lines are silent – that is the death of dialogue, communications, mutual understanding. We see what happens when something like that occurs. One of the lowest moments in more recent history was, in the sense of identity and self-respect of this part of Europe, when Ukraine was granted candidate status before Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is unexplainable, yet it happened”. President Milanović said.
Asked to comment on the initiative of French President Macron regarding the concept of multi-speed Europe, President Milanović said that this is impossible. “I do not see how this could function at all. It is unenforceable politically. The European Union practically threw Great Britain out of the Union with the phrase – ever closer union, i.e. more Europe. More Europe in the Balkans, yes. More Europe in Brussels, no. That bureaucracy has a natural tendency to just multiply and there is no end if it is not told where the end is. The President of the European Commission cannot be king, but the first bureaucrat. The High Representative for Foreign Policy is by no means an autonomous political figure, but a compromise limited rights holder in that area. Croatia is fine in the EU, the entire story makes sense. Not to lie to ourselves, the Croatian state and people did not pay a high price and go to war to achieve big integration goals, but to have their own state, like the Slovenes who fortunately did not enter such a war. The European Union is an excellent instrument, but is not a goal in itself. It has to be experienced and assessed in the manner of a good yet conservative master. Not conservative in the political and worldview sense, but in the sense of someone who is skeptical and who approaches each further step rationally, without childish fervour and enthusiasm”, President Milanović explained.
Participating in the Summit in addition to the Presidents of Croatia, Slovenia and North Macedonia were the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Montenegro Jakov Milatović, the President of Albania Bajram Begaj, the President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani Sadriu, as well as members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić, Denis Bećirović and Željka Cvijanović.
Prior to the 12th annual Brdo-Brijuni Process Summit in Skopje, President Milanović held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani Sadriu.
PHOTO: Office of the President of the Republic of Croatia / Filip Glas