Ahead of the eleventh annual Belgrade Security Forum, which takes place this week, ISF interviewed Christiane Hullmann, head of the division for the Western Balkans at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany. On Tuesday, Ms Hullmann spoke on a panel titled “Supporting the Western Balkans – Overcoming Obstacles to European Integration”, which aimed to answer questions about whether the EU’s integration of the Western Balkans is at risk and what frameworks can support the process.
In addition to European integration, Ms Hullmann commented for ISF on the Berlin process and the immediate steps that need to be taken to promote the economic integration of the region, as well as the continuity of German policy towards the Western Balkans after the federal elections . .
“I am convinced that the next German government will consider the Western Balkans and their European perspective as a foreign policy priority,” says Hullmann.
European Western Balkans: At this year’s Belgrade Security Forum, you will speak on a panel focused on overcoming obstacles to the European integration of the Western Balkans. What do you see as the biggest obstacles to this process at the moment? How should they be approached?
Christiane Hullmann: For us, the future of the Western Balkans lies in the European Union and we actively support the European perspective of the six Western Balkan countries. On this European path, I currently see two to three main challenges that must be addressed. First, despite some very laudable recent progress, the overall reform momentum in the Western Balkan countries is still rather slow. This particularly concerns the important area of the rule of law and the fight against corruption and organized crime. Recent national reports from the European Commission clearly confirm this. I would like to encourage all governments in the region to maintain their commitment, using the national reports as guidelines. Second, bilateral issues hinder the progress of the entire region because they make regional cooperation more difficult. This is why progress in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is of paramount importance. All relevant issues should be addressed in the standardization dialogue. Both parties must engage constructively and in good faith. European Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák has our full support. And third, the delay in opening accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia, due to the Bulgarian veto, overshadows the region’s aspirations for European integration. In this area, the EU must act as quickly as possible.
ISF: The overall theme of the Belgrade Security Forum is the consequences of COVID-19. How has the pandemic affected the Western Balkans’ relations with Germany and the EU?
CH: The pandemic has made it abundantly clear how vulnerable and interdependent we are in the face of a global health crisis. The EU has demonstrated unprecedented financial solidarity with Western Balkan countries to combat the pandemic and overcome its socio-economic consequences. Suffice it to mention the €3.3 billion aid plan from April 2020 and the donations of millions of vaccines by the EU and its member states, both bilaterally and through the COVAX initiative. Germany has donated a considerable amount of medical equipment, hundreds of ventilators, millions of masks, almost half a million test kits and many other items. The German Robert Koch Institute has intensified its cooperation with the region and equipped laboratories in Kosovo and Montenegro. The Berlin Process Health Ministers’ Meeting on June 17, 2021 provided an important platform for exchange and coordination to further combat the effects of the pandemic.
ISF: One of the most important German initiatives in the Western Balkans since 2014 is the Berlin Process. What should be the next steps in this initiative that countries in the region should undertake in the near future?
CH: The Berlin Process rests on three pillars: the inclusion of the six Western Balkan countries as peer members, regional ownership and support for the EU integration process. At the Sofia Summit of the Berlin Process in November 2020, Western Balkan heads of government committed to creating a regional common market, a historic project to introduce the free movement of people, goods, services and capital . This must be the priority of all Western Balkan countries, as the common regional market will not only bring economic growth, but will also ensure that the 9 billion euro subsidies from the EU Economic and Investment Plan will have maximum positive impact.
In the short term, as Chancellor Merkel emphasized during her visit to the region in September, the six Western Balkan countries must overcome the political blockade and quickly finalize four important agreements on regional mobility with the facilitation of the Cooperation Council regional. These agreements will bring important benefits to the region, as they concern the free movement of identity cards, the free movement of citizens of third countries and the mutual recognition of academic and professional qualifications.
ISF: Following the federal elections in Germany, public opinion in the Western Balkans is wondering whether certain aspects of the country’s policy towards the region could change. In your opinion, how much continuity should be expected?
CH: Past experience has shown that Germany’s general foreign policy remains consistent after a change of government. This is particularly true for his commitment to Europe and European integration. The situation in the Western Balkans has a direct impact on the EU and its Member States and is therefore of strategic importance. Germany enjoys excellent relations with the six Western Balkan countries and maintains close ties through investment, economic cooperation and people-to-people contacts. This is why I am convinced that the next German government will also consider the Western Balkans and their European perspective as a foreign policy priority.
