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"Open Balkans" turns into 'apple of discord' for Kosovo and Montenegro

Politiko 2022-05-31 10:51:11

"Open Balkans" turns into 'apple of discord' for Kosovo and

The "Open Balkans", an initiative of Albania, Serbia and northern Macedonia, has turned into a debate on Kosovo and Montenegro. Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic exchanged remarks while talking about the "Open Balkans".

Abazovic, who confirmed his participation in the initiative meeting in Ohrid, said from the Summit of Democracy in Southeast Europe that a part of the society in Montenegro opposes the initiative, because part of it is Serbia, ie for a personal problem.

"In my opinion, a part of the society in Montenegro opposes the 'Open Balkans', just because it is against everything that Serbia is. They have no problem with the initiative, but they have a personal problem. I am not committed to the 'Open Balkans' or the Berlin Process or any other initiative. I am committed to regional cooperation. "Any initiative aimed at regional co-operation, everything we can use for co-operation, is a success, " Abazovic said.

President Osmani responded to Abazovic's statement. She told the Montenegrin prime minister that a distinction should be made between a Democratic leader and a former propaganda minister, referring to Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

"Whether someone is a democratically elected leader who believes in the values of the rule of law, human rights and democracy, and whether someone is a former propaganda minister of the Milosevic regime, it should matter. "On the contrary, the message we are sending is that it does not matter if you are Zelensky or Putin ," Osmani said.

Abazovic, while responding to Osman, said that Ohrid (meeting place of the initiative) could not be a problem, when in the Berlin Process they will sit with the same faces at the table.

"How is it possible that you will most likely sit in the Berlin Process with the same people, who unfortunately do not recognize Kosovo, while Ohrid is a problem?" "This is what I do not understand, " Abazovic said.

Official Pristina opposes the "Open Balkans" initiative, insisting that Kosovo should be represented as an equal, that is, as an independent state within any process, including the "Open Balkans" initiative.

The "Open Balkans" initiative is a continuation of the "mini-Schengen" presented in Novi Sad, Serbia on October 10, 2019, by the leaders of Serbia, Northern Macedonia and Albania. When the "Open Balkans" initiative was presented, then Montenegro with the Government of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), refused to participate.

The Albanian Prime Minister of Montenegro, Dritan Abazovic, expressed that he supports the concept of the initiative and any other initiative that brings regional cooperation. While Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo have opposed the "Open Balkans".