Latinovic: Russia could block the election of the new OSCE Secretary-General

Former Serbian Ambassador to the OSCE, Branka Latinovic, says that Russia could block the election of the new OSCE Secretary-General given that all the candidates are from NATO countries, adding that the potential election of Albanian Foreign Minister Igli Hasani, despite his undisputed professional biography, could imply a certain bias in his actions.

“We need to bear in mind that all candidates are from NATO member states. This is something Russia does not want to see becoming a regular practice, and we should not exclude the possibility that the chairing Malta will note a lack of consensus and move to a new phase of consultations, proposals, and the election of the Secretary-General,” Latinovic told Kosovo Online.

This year, changes are expected at the top of the OSCE, and the long-time ambassador to the OSCE explained that the procedure for electing the Secretary-General involves a consultation process after countries propose their candidates.

“The chairperson and their Troika team conduct these consultations. This year, the Troika consists of North Macedonia, Malta, and Finland as the chair for the next year. They conduct these talks and consultations with the participating states, and based on that, it will be determined which candidates could move forward in the decision-making process,” Latinovic noted.

Five candidates are competing for the position of the current Secretary-General Helga Schmid, including those familiar with the Western Balkans, such as the current head of the mission in Serbia, Jan Bratu, and the Albanian Foreign Minister, Igli Hasani.

Latinovic remarks that it is unusual to have so many candidates for this position but has no doubt that it would be beneficial for the Western Balkans to have someone from or familiar with the region in that role, though it could also result in bias.

“However, if the candidate comes from a country like Albania, without prejudging what his election would mean, we cannot help but feel that he might be biased. In a situation, for instance, if Kosovo theoretically applied for OSCE membership, he might push to have it on the agenda even though member states make decisions, and this point might not be included in the agenda. In any case, he would likely favor a particular side. He might promise as a professional to perform his duties with utmost professionalism and impartiality, but considering past experiences, we cannot help but retain this impression,” Latinovic believes.

On the other hand, she points out that all candidates for the new OSCE Secretary-General are career diplomats with undisputed biographies.

However, she warns about their political weight.

“I must admit that all the candidates are professionals. They are all career diplomats who have tied their professional careers to the OSCE. However, none of them, from what I have seen in their profiles, have the necessary political weight required at this moment. This is why Helga Schmid from the European Union was chosen as the current Secretary-General, due to her adequate political weight. It is unusual for a foreign minister of a country to appear as a candidate, but it should be noted that this is part of a package, considering that along with the election of a new Secretary-General, a new director of ODIHR and a new High Commissioner for National Minorities will also be chosen,” Latinovic says.

She explained that the Secretary-General's position does not entail the executive authority of the chairmanship and the Permanent Council.

“In the OSCE, the chairperson sets the priorities, and the Permanent Council determines the policies and actions taken by the OSCE. The Secretary-General primarily oversees the implementation of decisions made by the Permanent Council, ensuring all necessary prerequisites are met for these decisions to be made, and coordinates the work among the numerous institutions covered by the Secretariat,” Latinovic explains.

She emphasizes that the new OSCE leaders will face an old problem – the budget.

Recalling that two years ago, the organization was blocked due to an inability to adopt a budget, Latinovic expects this to remain a key political issue for the OSCE in the future.

“In this situation, aside from everything the OSCE does and its responsibilities, including field missions, which are a unique aspect, the budget issue is very delicate and one in which the Secretary-General plays a decisive role,” the diplomat highlights.