Ukraine crisis spurs Balkan countries to co-operate

Albania Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati and his Croatia counterpart Vesna Pusic sign a European Partnership agreement in Zagreb on March 21st. [Albania Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Ukraine crisis spurs Balkan countries to co-operate

Regional countries sign agreements and plan joint projects to improve security and mutual trust.

Albania Foreign Minister Ditmir Bushati and his Croatia counterpart Vesna Pusic sign a European Partnership agreement in Zagreb on March 21st. [Albania Ministry of Foreign Affairs]

Balkan countries are increasing co-operation in response to the developments in Ukraine as experts have warned of security implications of separatist tendencies.

Examples of a re-energised co-operative spirit can be found in several countries, including Serbia, Croatia, Kosovo, Albania and Macedonia.

The renewed efforts come as Paddy Ashdown, former High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), warned that interference by Moscow following its intervention in Crimea could lead to additional problems in BiH.

Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik visited Moscow this month to hear a proposal that RS borrow money from Moscow rather than participating in a proposed IMF loan with the rest of BiH.

"Some Bosnian politicians are playing the Moscow card, even, most dangerously of all, the Slav card, in support of policies of separation," Ashdown told a NATO seminar on southeast Europe in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo.

"Europe and the West must now act decisively to close down this new salient of division in this country," he said.

The Ukraine Embassy in Sarajevo criticised the president's statements, noting that Dodik is not responsible for foreign policy.

"Such statements are creating an openly hostile atmosphere towards Ukraine and completely contradict the marks that the entire international community gave on the Crimean referendum. It is also crucial to...

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