http://www.neurope.eu/articles/79791.php
Neue Europa 10 November 2007 - Issue : 755 Rehn juggles Balkan marbles Corruption dogs Balkans’ EU future, Serbia reaps reward If countries meet conditions, stabilisation and association agreement (SAA) will be agreed with all Balkan countries,” announced Olli Rehn, European Commissioner for enlargement last week, adding, “SAA is the gateway to candidate status.” Using his favourite words while presenting the annual EU strategy paper for the EU’s enlargement policy, Rehn said, “Countries are making progress like a normal train.” Pointing out that “the region as a whole needs to move forward in building modern democracies and further develop a political culture of dialogue and tolerance,” Rehn presented the reports saying, “In 2007 there has been steady but uneven progress in the Western Balkans. We still need to face major challenges, such as Kosovo status process, Serbia’s democratic development and state building in Bosnia and Herzegovina.” Deep-rooted corruption, weak democratic institutions and wide-ranging ethnic tensions are major blocks to reform process in the Western Balkans but “the pull of the EU is contributing to stability and encouraging important political and economic reforms” said enlargement commissioner. In a departure from earlier rhetoric of “EU waiting for the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in the Hague verdict and clearance from Carla del Ponte,” the printed press release (IP/071651) never mentioned the subject, instead listing “Serbia’s democratic development” as a major challenge. “Serbia has already handed over 20 out of 24 wanted war criminals to The Hague Tribunal due to ICTY efforts and conditionality of the European Union,” Rehn told journalists and called for transformation of present “significant or intensive cooperation” to “full cooperation.” Announcing the “initialing” of the SAA agreement with Serbia the very next day, November 7, Commissioner Rehn commended Serbia saying, Serbia has “improved both in the search for fugitives and the access to archives and documents ... therefore, I have decided to initial a stabilisation and association agreement (SAA) with Serbia tomorrow.” Urging Belgrade for “full cooperation” with final arrests and handing over of all criminals to The Hague Tribunal, Rehn explained to journalists, “Initial means we confirm the text of the agreement and after confirmation from ICTY, we will sign the SAA with Serbia.” The rewarding step followed utterances in October from the ICTY’s top prosecutor, Carla Del Ponte that Serbia had shown a renewed political will to cooperate with the tribunal and a new determination in putting that will into action. Although Rehn did “initial” the SAA, he warned in an unequivocal tone, “ICTY cooperation cannot be a stop-start process. More still needs to be done to reach full cooperation, which remains the necessary condition for the signature of the SAA.” Such cooperation should lead to the arrest and transfer to the ICTY of the two top fugitives, Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic, he added. “In Turkey, democracy prevailed over the political crisis. The new momentum should now be used to re-launch the reforms to improve fundamental freedoms, particularly the freedom of expression and religious freedom, so that they prevail in all corners of the country and in all walks of life,” commented Rehn on Turkey’s progress. Announcing the start of another two chapters for talks, Rehn said, “If a chapter is technically ready for opening, it should be opened.” Croatia, the country nearing the finishing line, got the adjective of a “benchmark” for the region, which “demonstrates that the EU perspective is real and tangible.” Even so, it will only become the EU’s 28th member if it “maintains the necessary reform momentum and meets the conditions,” his report pointed out. Many political pundits expected Croatia to join the EU in 2009, but a recent dispute over access to Adriatic fishing arena with Slovenia and Italy and continued concerns over widespread corruption have threatened to derail that process. The commission report stated, “Better governance in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM), Albania and Montenegro, state building with local ownership in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia’s European course are the main challenges for these countries in the coming year.” Asked to comment on the name dispute of FYROM with Greece, an EU member state, Rehn told journalists, “FYROM name issue is a longstanding problem which should be solved sooner rather than later. It’s a bilateral issue and we urge both parties to seek solution with UN help. We hope to see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Moreover, the parliamentary fiasco in FYROM in September with members of parliament starting a brawl which spilled over into the streets was addressed in the report. “The dialogue between all parties within the parliament needs to be conducted in a peaceful and constructive manner,” the EU report said before pointing out that “corruption remains widespread” and “the country still faces major shortcomings in implementing and effectively enforcing legislation.” In Bosnia-Herzegovina, meanwhile, attempts to move towards the EU have been stalled by a failure to create a genuine national police force out of the country’s two ethnically- divided forces. “Lack of progress on this and other important issues is seriously delaying the conclusion” of an SAA drawn up in 2006, the report said. Bosnia’s southern neighbour, Montenegro, signed an SAA with the EU only three weeks ago. However, yet again the report pointed out that “corruption is widespread” and that “major” economic reforms are needed. Albania came in for similar comments, with the report saying that “democratic culture, and in particular constructive dialogue between parties, needs to be developed” and “corruption remains widespread.” And the Serbian province of Kosovo, under international administration since the bloody ethnic war of 1999, remains dominated by the ongoing dispute over its future status, with corruption and ethnic tensions still high, the report said. Rehn called on Serbia to play a positive role in the Kosovo dispute, saying that the EU expects both Serbia and Kosovo’s pro- independence leaders to “be more creative and constructive.” Last but not the least, Rehn reiterated that “conditionality is one aspect” but the European Union “must respect its own commitments.”
