There are numerous reports in the German press about Chancellor Olaf Solz’s Balkan tour over the weekend.
THE Süddeutsche Zeitung notes that “Chancellor Soltz he made a journey into the future, a journey that led him to cities like Pristina, Belgrade and Skopje. ” On the occasion of the new developments in the EU enlargement policy, the Munich newspaper notes that “we must support the attacked Ukraine – and which Solz will finally visit – by giving it the status of a candidate country, but without displeasing the Balkan countries, the which expect their own integration. The EU must give new hope, but without cultivating the illusion that accession is possible even if painful reforms are not implemented. “At the same time, the EU must protect itself from blackmail by semi-authoritarian leaders, such as Victor Orban.”
The complicated issue of Kosovo, discussed by Chancellor Soltz during his visit to Belgrade, is mentioned in Sunday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung (FAS):
“Serbia is not the only country that rejects Kosovo’s independence. Five of the 27 EU Member States have so far not considered recognizing it. These are Greece, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Cyprus. This is due to domestic policy reasons. These countries are concerned that the recognition of Kosovo could strengthen separatist movements within its borders. In Spain, for example, the region of Catalonia has been trying for years to secede from the central government. (…) The open issues will be discussed at the summit, at the end of June, without any impressive progress being expected “.
DW – Giannis Papadimitriou
