Russia calls on the EU to abandon its neo-colonial behavior and to take a respectful and equitable approach to countries in the Western Balkans region. This was stated today at a briefing by the Deputy Spokesman of the Russian Foreign Ministry Alexei Zaitsev, quoted by TASS.
He noted a statement by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at a joint news conference in Berlin this week with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in which Schortz stressed that “the Western Balkans belong to Europe” and should join the EU in the future.
Such non-binding statements by the EU are intended to encourage the countries of the Western Balkans, which are growing frustrated by the long stalemate in the EU accession process, Zaitsev said.
According to him, Germany, like other EU countries, has forgotten the lessons of history and continues to see the Western Balkans as an area of its exclusive geopolitical interests, treating them as its backyard, while hypocritically accusing Russia of trying to establish an area of influence in Europe.
According to Zaitsev, Moscow has repeatedly cited “the pernicious practice” of using the European integration aspirations of countries in the region to “openly blackmail, unfair competition” with non-EU countries that make a real contribution to socio-economic growth and stability in the Western Balkans.
Under the pretext of following Brussels’ political line, the Balkans are forced to support anti-Russian sanctions, putting them in front of an artificial choice: either with the European Union or with Russia. We call on the European Union to abandon its neo-colonial manners and to follow a respectful and equal approach to neighboring countries, including the Western Balkans, he stressed.
