North Macedonia, Montenegro and Albania Fail to Investigate Wagner Group

Servicemen of the Armed Forces self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) at a parade in Donetsk, Ukraine. Photo: EPA-EFE/ALEXANDER USENKO

On November 26, 2021, the European Parliament voted sanctions on the Wagner Group and its affiliates, and the three would-be-EU-member Western Balkan countries soon joined the restrictions.

North Macedonia has confirmed joining the EU's restrictions against the private military entity and the EU's sanctions against Russian companies Velada, Mercury and Evro Polis involved in the mining, oil and gas in Syria.

But it has given no more details about possible participation in concrete actions or investigations against the entities.

"Our country aligned its stance in accordance with the policies of the EU," the Foreign Ministry said on Monday, "and having said that our actions in the future will follow those of the EU".

The Interior Ministry, which was pinpointed as the body responsible for participating in possible probes in such cases, said: "At this point, we are not at liberty to discuss concrete action".

The Montenegrin Foreign Ministry said that joining the restrictions was in accordance with their EU membership path and the Interior Ministry stressed it acted according to Montenegrin law on International Restrictive Measures.

"The Police Directorate, Tax and Customs Administration and Central Bank are acting according to legal procedures. Restrictive measures will be implemented in case the authorities find possible group connections in Montenegro," the Interior Ministry told BIRN.

Albanian's Foreign Ministry also said the country joined the sanctions in line with the EU but did not expain any concrete measures taken or checks conducted related to the possible group's...