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Djukanovic: Russia has returned to the region again

Djukanovic

Bulgaria’s priority is to lead the Western Balkans towards Brussels. The country presides over the Council of the EU as of 1 January 2018. Membership in the European Union is the only way to keep tensions in the region under control, Montenegrin ruling party leader Milo Djukanovic said in an interview with the Dutch newspaper De Trouw.

He visited Amsterdam and gave a lecture at the University. According to him, the Balkans has always been at a crossroads among the West, Russia and blazing nationalism.

“This region is perhaps a dead end for the European Union, but it is constantly threatened by third countries. I’m very worried about that,” Djukanovic says.

The newspaper notes that the DPS leader has been in power for a quarter of century in an EU candidate country and calmly assessed the situation in the region.

“Finally, I have time to analyse the root causes of the problem in the region,” Djukanovic said.

After turbulent events ahead of the elections last year, in which Djukanovic believes Serbian and Russian elements were involved – including a coup attempt and an attempt to kill him, the former PM paused and withdrew, Dutch journalist Pietrenel Grupen writes.

“Russia has returned to the region again. The country wants to show that it is politically and militarily superior to the European Union. As has happened so far in history, the strategic conflict is taking place in the Balkans. It is the conflict that Europe must overcome. Our recent history has shown that the Balkans itself cannot preserve stability,” Djukanovic said.

He points out that the European Union has been in the Balkans since the Dayton Peace Agreement, 22 years ago.

“The biggest problems from these days are still here. Bosnia still does not work properly, talks between Serbia and Kosovo are slow, while Macedonia is completely paralyzed in the process of negotiations with the European Union. Brussels must accelerate the processes, otherwise the enthusiasm for Europe in the Balkans will disappear,” Djukanovic points out.

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