Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbach (Greens) is calling for Western Balkan states to be supported “with all our might” on their path to the EU. “We cannot afford gray areas anywhere in Europe, and we must do everything together to close the loopholes that Russia can use for its policy of destabilization, disinformation and infiltration,” he said before leaving. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This includes supporting countries in “strengthening their democratic institutions, improving their resilience and providing economic opportunities to people”.
“It has become a geopolitical imperative that we support the six states in the region with all our might on the way to the EU, especially in view of Russia's brutal imperialism,” he said. As the EU, we have “common homework to prepare ourselves for the future with more chairs at the European table”.
Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are known as the Western Balkans. It also includes Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo. Montenegro is the furthest along in the EU accession process. EU enlargement is not expected until the end of the decade. Bosnia and Herzegovina has candidate status but is not yet in negotiations.
Montenegro's ambitious agenda
Perbach said Montenegro has been a partner in NATO for many years. During the EU accession process, the country set itself an ambitious agenda and is now boldly tackling it again. Their talks in the capital Podgorica will focus on how Montenegro can make even better progress in reforming the rule of law and in the fight against corruption and organized crime.
In Montenegro, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic and President Jakov Miladovic are back in power from 2023, two declared pro-European. However, Spajic could only be elected with the support of smaller pro-Russian and pro-Serb parties.
Bosnia and Herzegovina was partitioned
A meeting with the state leadership is planned in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has one representative each from the Bosniak, Serb and Croat ethnic groups. The dialogue will also take place with the High Representative of the International Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina, German Christian Schmidt.
The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (abbreviated FBiH) and the ethnic-Serb region Republika Srpska (RS) are divided into entities. The head of the RS is Milorad Todic, a Serbian nationalist who seeks secession. Todic is currently on trial in Sarajevo to prevent the RS official journal from publishing the results of representatives of the international community. Recently, Todic met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of Russia President Vladimir Putin.
Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbach (Greens) is calling for Western Balkan states to be supported “with all our might” on their path to the EU. “We cannot afford gray areas anywhere in Europe, and we must do everything together to close the loopholes that Russia can use for its policy of destabilization, disinformation and infiltration,” he said before leaving. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. This includes supporting countries in “strengthening their democratic institutions, improving their resilience and providing economic opportunities to people”.
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