GERMAN AMBASSADOR ANKE KONRAD: ‘Belgrade, Priština to have concrete benefits from implementing German-French agreement’

“Forming the Community of the Municipalities with a Serbian majority is Kosovo’s key obligation in the dialogue between Belgrade and Priština. The Community of Municipalities should be implemented fast, and we advocate this strongly,” The Ambassador of Germany to Serbia Anke Konrad says in her interview with Kurir.

She points out that both sides will have concrete benefits from implementing the German-French proposal as, according to her, the tensions so far have been poisonous for the future of the people, for economic investments, as well as jobs. She adds that without the normalization of the relations there will be no EU membership either.

Could the Belgrade-Priština dialogue stop again after the elections were held in the north of Kosovo – in the municipalities where the Serbs are in the majority – which the Serbs boycotted because, among other things, the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) had not been formed? Could you call such elections democratic anywhere else in Europe?

“What we have here is a situation between Belgrade and Priština that has for years been depriving both countries and the people living in them of a number of development prospects. The framework agreement, i.e. the Ohrid Agreement, which both sides have agreed on, is therefore the right and important step which we support and which both sides must implement now, without laying down additional conditions. Forming the Community of the Municipalities with a Serbian majority is Kosovo’s key obligation in this dialogue. Conditions should be provided for this now, without any delay. Serbia must also fulfil its own obligations. It is the responsibility of both sides to have a serious and constructive dialogue on the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement at the high-level meeting on 2 May, and to bring it to completion.”

According to some estimates, the elections in the north of Kosovo were, in a sense, a failure of the international community – there are many people who don’t even believe that the international community cannot force Priština to form the CSM. How do you comment on the impression that Priština is being let off lightly?

“As the German Ambassador to Serbia, I will not comment on the Kosovo elections. It is true in principle that elections are a key instrument of democratic participation of all citizens. It is important for this form of decision-making to be made available to them. Germany’s position is that it is regrettable that the Serb List boycotted the elections. The Kosovo Serbs, who left the Kosovo institutions in November 2022, should go back as soon as possible. Incidentally, this is also one of the obligations from the Brussels Agreement, as is the formation of the Community of the Municipalities with a Serbian majority. And yes, the Community of Municipalities ought to be implemented fast now, which is what we advocate strongly.”

Was the French-German proposal for solving the Kosovo issue a sort of a last offer for Belgrade and Priština? Was it in the “take it or leave it” form, and do you believe that this agreement will be successfully implemented?

“The German-French, i.e. European proposal for the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, was accepted by both sides on 27 February in Brussels, and its Annex on 18 March in Ohrid, after lengthy negotiations. Therefore, there is absolutely no ‘take it or leave it’ attitude there. Both sides have the obligation now to implement the Agreement without question or new conditions. We trust that they will act in line with this responsibility. We have pledged our support in this to both countries. And let me reiterate – the essence of the dialogue on the normalization of relations is the future of the people in both countries, as well as in the Western Balkans. Both sides will have concrete benefits from implementing the agreement, because the tensions so far have been poisonous for the future of the people, for economic investments, as well as jobs, and without normalizing the relations there will be no EU membership either.”

Let us move on to the topic that has dominated the world for over a year – the war in Ukraine. Could you compare the EU before and after 24 February 2022? How much has the Union been changed by the Russian attack against Ukraine, in security and political terms?

“Europe has responded with strength and unity to Russia’s offensive war. It has mobilized resources in an unprecedented way – to support Ukraine and offer a safe haven for five million refugees from Ukraine. The European Union has shown unity in its foreign policy by imposing sanctions on Russia. In March 2022, a decision was made in Versailles regarding further steps aimed at strengthening Europe’s sovereignty, including security, significantly reducing the energy dependence on third parties, and implementing a new growth model for a more robust economic base. At the same time, EU enlargement, which would mean accepting our partners in the Western Balkans, has become more topical again. We have been supporting Serbia on that path for years and will continue to do so. That said, Serbia must also do its part of the work and show that, as a membership candidate, as an EU partner, it fully supports the EU’s foreign policy. Part of that is also taking restrictive measures against Russia. In this way, Serbia would clearly commit to the EU and send out this message: We wish to be part of the European family and its values.”

How would you assess the effects of the sanctions that the EU has imposed on Russia? Is Berlin still committed to the position that Belgrade should join the European sanctions against Moscow?

“The sanctions are working. They are an integral part of the common foreign and security policy of the EU. Without imposing them, a consensus among the EU member states regarding the opening of additional clusters in the accession negotiation is hard to imagine, but, ultimately, it is Serbia that makes the decisions regarding the sanctions.”

Lasty, you are taking part in the EU Delegation’s campaign in Belgrade, in which you are sending out a message that the Union cares for Serbia and its citizens. However, after a year that you have spent here, what is your impression – are the people more optimistic or pessimistic with respect to Serbia’s accession to the EU soon?

“What I have been noticing since the start of my stay in Serbia are numerous and very strong ties between Serbia and the EU, as well as between Serbia and the EU member states, in politics as much as in economy or culture. What has been even more important to me are the meetings I have had with many involved people who breathe life into this cooperation every day, contributing in this way to Serbia’s progress on its path to the EU. That path isn’t easy – all of us are aware of that – and many people are impatient – and we are aware of that too. However, we can do it together and with mutual trust. It is our wish for Serbia to be part of the EU.”

On the arrival and work of German entrepreneurs

‘They find good, qualified workers here’

German companies in Serbia employ app. 80,000 workers. How do German investors speak of the Serbian workers, what is their assessment of them, and how satisfied are they?

“The fact that German companies come to Serbia gladly speaks volumes in and of itself. One aspect of the environment that factors in this sort of positive view is certainly the fact that the companies in Serbia find many good and qualified workers. This is one the reasons that we are currently noticing an increasing involvement of German companies in the area of high technologies, and we are very much looking forward to such a development. I am convinced that we will be able to utilize this enormous potential of Serbia and the entire region to a much greater extent if the general conditions that we have touched on keep improving.”

Boban Karović