If the European Union (EU) does not introduce reforms, nothing good can be expected for the Balkans, as the EU enlargement policy will be at stake. If the EU enlargement is halted, there will be mess in the Balkans, Raif Dizdarević, a Yugoslav diplomat and ex-president of the Presidency of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) told in an interview with Pobjeda, a daily.
“I have to say I’m disappointed with the EU’s behavior. In what sense exactly? Brussels has been avoiding the real issues, the EU does not seek answers and it waits for all the member states to provide them, but no answer has ever been received…the EU avoids resolving problems in some member states and does not want to reshape relations within the Union itself. It seems to me that the EU sometimes behaves as an auntie striving to preserve good relations in a family without fuss,” said he.
According to Dizdarević, Europe lacks a politician with the vision. He said: “As an ex-foreign minister in the former Yugoslavia, I talked to many politicians. Politicians in those times were real partners for real talks and real questions. Thanks to the anti-fascists actions, Yugoslavia had a special place in the international circles. That is why everybody appreciated us and we had the opportunity to participate actively in the international relations. I have to tell you – there’s nothing of the sort nowadays. When you just take a look at Europe, the most prominent politician is Angela Merkel, Germany’s Chancellor, who’s again busy with her own in-country issues.”
Dizdarević also reflected on the recently held elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and emphasized that the state lost a lot with the elections, whereas the representatives of the nationalist parties in the presidency of B&H are going to strengthen disintegration processes.
“Bosnia and Herzegovina is now lost! All the pre-election hopes and wishes for improvements are lost. The elections in B&H simply confirmed the country’s stagnation.”
As for the Dodik’s inclusion in the Presidency of B&H, he estimated that is just going to intensify Russia’s influence in the country.
“Russians interfered in the elections in Bosnia not only because Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov came to Sarajevo and Banjaluka ahead of elections, but due to the political messages sent in that period. Moscow has already had big plans on the part of Bosnia’s territory and proved it can destabilize the country. This exactly is Russia’s primarily interest – to meddle into the Balkans’ affairs,” underlined former foreign minister in the SFRY.
