Milivojevic: Macron does not mention Pristina's responsibility; he threatened with sanctions for the first time

Diplomat Zoran Milivojevic pointed out that French President Emmanuel Macron for the first time had directly threatened Belgrade and Pristina, without mentioning the responsibility and obligations of the Pristina side, as well as previous agreements that had not been fulfilled, Blic reports.

One of the most powerful European leaders for the first time seriously and directly threatened to consider the return of visas if the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement was not started, and at the same time he stuck to his old position that the EU must first be reformed before enlargement, but also that Europe must "function in multiple speeds".

"In 2018, Macron stopped the enlargement policy because he wanted internal reforms in the EU first. That attitude is still in force today and obviously disqualifies everything that Michel said in Bled that the EU had to be ready to receive new members in 2030. Michel uttered that at the end of his mandate. The case was the same with the political set before Michel," Milivojevic recalls.

As he says, EU reform is the dominant French position, while the key question is what will happen to the war in Ukraine.

"Because of all that, I think that the EU enlargement policy is still a long shot," Milivojevic assesses.

He believes that the old French idea of the EU is in "multiple speeds".

"That was Jacques Chirac's idea from the end of the last century. From that came the European political community, which became a reality regarding the enlargement policy. Through that community, the strategic interest of the EU and the collective West is realized, not through the enlargement policy. The idea is to through the European political community, the EU absorbs the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia," Milivojevic analyzed.

Macron, adds Milivojevic, for the first time directly threatened Belgrade and Pristina with sanctions if they did not engage in the implementation of the Franco-German plan.

"In this way, Macron raised the scale of severity and seriousness of the situation. He insists on the Franco-German plan at all costs. And urgently, before next year and the elections in the EU and the USA. It is interesting that Macron views both sides equally and directly relies only on the Ohrid Agreement," Milivojevic said.

As he added, the fact that Macron mentioned sanctions and the return of visas for the first time was proof that the West was in trouble and that nervousness had grown to resolve the Kosovo issue as soon as possible.

"It is also interesting that Macron does not mention the responsibilities and obligations of the Pristina side at all, nor the previous unfulfilled agreements, nor the measures for de-escalation in the north of Kosovo and Metohija. According to him, both sides are equally responsible, and in this way, he tolerates everything that Kurti has done so far north. This indicates that Kurti is working in the interest of the West, that is, the confirmation of Kosovo's statehood," Milivojevic concludes.

Diplomat Srecko Djukic points out that Macron's statement is proof that the issue of Kosovo and the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina remained in the focus of the EU and leading European countries during the summer.

"This de-escalation in the north of Kosovo must be brought to an end. Local elections in the north of Kosovo must be prepared and both sides must return to dialogue, the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Agenda. The West will not negotiate again on issues that have already been put on paper," Djukic said.

As he says, both Belgrade and Pristina should understand Macron's words as a warning to prepare for dialogue.

"Belgrade needs to take Macron's message very seriously and prepare wisely for dialogue, avoiding conflicts and worsening relations with Pristina, while not neglecting its own interests.

Especially considering that our position in Kosovo may be more difficult than ever," Djukic believes.

He adds that the dialogue should not "test the hardness of the EU or some of its members".

"Sanctions can be imposed on us by individual EU countries. The whole EU can only do so if all members are in favor of it, including, for example, Hungary. So, sanctions can also be imposed on us bilaterally. One thing is certain, the West will not give up on that Franco-German or of the European plan, which implies local elections in the north of Kosovo and Metohija and the implementation of all documents," Djukic points out.

He believes that the EU can prepare to receive the entire Western Balkans by 2030, and he believes that this is realistic, considering that all the countries of the Western Balkans are small, both geographically and economically, and when the impact and GDP are taken into account.

"The only problem the EU may have in relation to enlargement is in the case of Ukraine, which is a large country. For us, what we heard from both Macron and Michel represents the starting shot and the start of the race until 2030," Djukic says.

As he says, a lot will depend on the individual countries - candidates for joining the EU.

"Almost all the countries of the Western Balkans have their own problems. Both North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to some extent Montenegro. Maybe Albania has the least problems, but it is still the least advanced on the European path. It would be best if all the countries of the Western Balkans joined the EU together, but I do not rule out the possibility that some countries will become members before others," Djukic concludes.