Ashdown: Mogherini is the one within the EU supporting the idea of changing borders

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The path to correcting borders between Serbia and Kosovo is paved with danger and gives confidence and support to those who want to break up Bosnia and Herzegovina, said Paddy Ashdown, former High Representative in BiH, for Radio Free Europe.

He, along with two other former European envoys, Carl Bildt and Christian Schwarz-Schilling, is a signatory to an open letter addressed to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, regarding the proposal to change the border between Serbia and Kosovo.

Ashdown is convinced that a solution for the relations between Serbia and Kosovo cannot be sought by undermining the fundamental principles of the EU regarding multi-ethnic communities, and not, as he calls them, "mono-ethnic pockets" that would be created in the Balkans.

- Mogherini is the one within the EU supporting this idea, and Russian President Vladimir Putin would be most pleased with its realization, and then apply it to the Ukrainian crisis – Ashdown believes.

Ashdown referred to the period 2002-2006, when he worked in BiH as the High Representative of the international community, during which some significant reforms were carried out, but since then, in his opinion, not much has been done.

- I think for several reasons. First of all, the "European pool" is in chaos. Second, the European Union and Brussels are pursuing policies in a way that does not take advantage of the influence they have. No one suggests that we should return to the past, but the European Union has an advantage and more instruments at its disposal in BiH than in any other country in the world. But they have decided not to use them, for reasons unknown to me.

So the European Union has chosen a less active approach there, which has left a vacuum for others. Mr. Putin, on one side, and Mr. Erdogan on the other, are taking the opportunity to demonstrate what I believe will have a detrimental outcome for Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will also serve the process of those who want to see the destabilization of BiH.

But in the end, although the European Union is ready to point fingers at politicians in BiH and readily calls them powerless, and there is no doubt that some of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian politicians are even much less than helpful on these issues, it is still the European Union that has failed to follow a consistent and effective policy and to ensure the implementation of the reforms necessary on the path to full membership in the EU – states Ashdown.

He believes that Federica Mogherini is even ready to support the idea of changing borders, while Angela Merkel is against such an idea.

- I can only say what I have heard. I understood that the High Representative Mogherini is ready to support this idea. I think the European Commissioner for Enlargement, Johannes Hahn, is less enthusiastic about this option, but she is certainly ready to do it.

However, the question arises whether Mogherini has a mandate for this, if the most important European countries, especially German Chancellor Merkel, are against such a solution. Despite this, Mogherini has indicated that the EU is ready to accept the mentioned option. I very much hope that this is not true – Ashdown points out.

Ashdown concludes that Russian President Vladimir Putin would be the happiest if such a scenario unfolded.

- Absolutely. One of the people who would rub their hands with satisfaction if this happens is President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, because this is exactly what he would like to see in Ukraine – let's solve the Ukrainian problem by giving part of Ukraine to Russia. That is exactly what he wants to see – a precedent that will be established and that will help him do it. This does not only apply to BiH. If we start changing borders, this will lead further.

Will we then change the borders of Macedonia, exchange the Albanian population in western Macedonia with Kosovo as well? Will you redraw the Hungarian-Serbian borders in the Vojvodina region, will you talk about Sandžak? If you want to go and form mono-ethnic pockets in the Balkans, then you will have to redraw many borders and in the end you will end up with ethnically pure states, which can do nothing else but be in conflict with their neighbors – concluded Paddy Ashdown.