Gerapetritis: Greece has a strategic relationship with the countries of the Western Balkans – What did he say about Kosovo and Beleri?

“Greece is the country that preeminently has a strategic relationship with the countries of the Western Balkans,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs Giorgos Gerapetritis, answering a topical question submitted by the New Left in Parliament.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs came to the Parliament, in order to answer a topical question of the MP of the New Left, Sia Anagnostopoulos, about the government’s strategy in the Western Balkans and, in particular, about the government’s stance on Kosovo’s accession to the Council of Europe, on the implementation of the Agreement of Prespa and the relationship with Albania, especially after the participation of Freddy Beleris in the European ballot of New Democracy.

“The issue of Mr. Beleris’ inclusion on the ballot is something that concerns the party and does not concern the government”

“We have managed, at this moment, to have excellent relations with all the states”, noted Mr. Gerapetritis and added that “this happens because the present government is governed, as far as foreign policy is concerned, by an attitude of principle, of rules. We will never appear inconsistent. And this is something that is credited to us because we can talk in terms of consistency and integrity with everyone, even when there are competitors in the same area.”

Anagnostopoulou: The government is lost in the Balkan horizon

Sia Anagnostopoulou stated that while the geopolitical upheavals are critical and leave no room for complacency, the Greek government seems “lost in the Balkan horizon” and instead of having a solid strategic policy on what it wants to do, it either remains inactive when everything is moving around or when it moves, it causes problems.

“Greece is the accelerating country in terms of the European, Union and Euro-Atlantic course of the Western Balkans. Of course, we understand that this course is subject to conditions, it is the EU enlargement policy and the stabilization and association process, with clear reference to the rule of law and democracy, respect for fundamental rights, and respect for minorities”, replied Mr. Gerapetritis, adding that “Greece maintains excellent relations with all the member states of the Western Balkans, especially with the traditionally friendly countries, such as Serbia and Montenegro, with which we have developed special connectivity agreements, at the level of transport and energy”.

“The policy of the authorities has allowed us to be fair interlocutors in difficult circumstances, such as the relationship between Belgrade and Pristina, but of course to be able to talk with Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as Kosovo,” he also said.

New distances from the Bakoyannis report on Kosovo

The MP of the New Left referred to Kosovo, noting characteristically: “Do you think that this double policy, the proposal of Mrs. Bakoyannis and the vote for the inclusion of Kosovo in the Council of Europe, the vote by the MPs of the New Democracy, without meeting the Kosovo the conditions of the Brussels international agreement, are they for the good of the region? In the interest of our country?”

Sia Anagnostopoulou pointed out, in fact, that Cyprus voted against and “has a very important basis” for voting against.

“Especially, as far as Kosovo is concerned, the position of the Greek government remains absolutely stable,” said the foreign minister, noting that “within the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly and the competent committee, there is a specific procedure, which it is a parliamentary procedure and does not concern the governments”.

“Greece from the beginning maintained an attitude which was particularly consistent. Just as we abstained from the process by which Kosovo’s application, for membership in the Council of Europe, was referred by the Committee of Ministers to the Parliamentary Assembly for an opinion, in exactly the same way we will vote when the time comes to the committee ministers. I remind you that essentially due to the system, on the basis of the majority required, to become a full member, this abstention is actually counted as a refusal”, he clarified.

“You’re setting a bad precedent”

“You know very well that your answer about Kosovo cannot convince anyone,” countered Sia Anagnostopoulou and added: “So we have a double policy? We have Mrs. Bakoyannis, as the rapporteur, and three ND MPs, who are in favor of the integration, without meeting the conditions of the Brussels Agreement of 2013”.

As he said, “it sets a bad precedent, while our country is traditionally and firmly, and does well, in favor of observing international agreements. It sets a bad precedent and in relation to expropriations, we also have the issue of property in Albania, but we also have the issue of Cyprus. The Cypriots are saying something, we must listen to it very seriously. Because yes, each case is different from the other, legally and from the point of view of international law, but you know it better than I do, that in situations like this, when international agreements are violated, even with weak arguments, they can create momentum. You will vote against or say ‘present’ or abstain from voting. But Greece has already made its mark, because Greece played the leading role and this is very important for Kosovo”, he underlined.

“Greece expresses itself through its government”

“We are in constant consultation with Cyprus on the major issues of national policy. We don’t give up. On the contrary, we have managed to have significant successes in the context of this cooperation as well. Among the most recent is the inclusion in the conclusions of the European Council of two paragraphs in relation to Euro-Turkish relations, which explicitly mention the progress of the Cypriot issue”, answered Giorgos Gerapetritis.

Regarding Kosovo, the Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the Greek position is permanent and clear: “Greece expresses itself through its government and this government is absolutely consistent, from the moment of the submission of the request from Kosovo until the final crisis of the Council of Ministers, whenever it takes place”.

Explanations for the Prespa Agreement

In relation to the Prespa Agreement, the New Left MP said that it is “up in the air” and instead of the Greek government having pushed for the operational implementation of the Agreement, “so that whatever government comes to North Macedonia, it cannot to escape from the Agreement”, nothing has progressed, neither the three memoranda have been signed, nor any interstate, nor supreme council has been held, nor the textbooks, nor the trademarks.

“Mr. Minister, we have the feeling that in the issue of North Macedonia, the government is being held hostage by the far-right wing and Mr. Samaras,” emphasized Sia Anagnostopoulou.

“The Treaty of Prespa is a prerequisite for the progress of the pre-accession process of the Republic of North Macedonia in the EU”, said Giorgos Gerapetritis and noted that “we (s.s. ND) from the beginning had formulated the reservations, as regards in particular the fundamental technical parts of the Prespa Agreement. But this Agreement is a superior treaty, against any law. Any contrary provision of law does not apply. So essentially it is a supertext”.

“We are following the development of this agreement very closely,” he said and pointed out that on March 27, 2024, the 8th meeting of the joint scientific committee of experts on historical, archaeological and educational issues took place. In this climate, Mr. Gerapetritis said that “there is monitoring” and the memoranda “will come in the political time that the government will judge”. He pointed out at the same time that “there must be faithful observance, on behalf of the neighboring country as well”.

“The government has been insisting for five years, for the protocols that have not been ratified by the Parliament, telling us that this will be done when the government decides. Tell me, is a period of destabilization good for our country? The Prespa Agreement provides for a supreme interstate council every year. It has never been done”, commented the MP of the New Left and underlined the importance of lasting agreements and partnerships in diplomacy.

“Of course the state has continuity. Of course, the issues about which we expressed our reservations arise and we will see how the elections in the neighboring country will go. Despite this, we express the continuity of the state”, said the foreign minister and added: “We absolutely accept the Prespa Agreement. It could not be otherwise because this is a constitutional imperative. On the other hand, we will closely monitor its development and compliance. Because in order for there to be progress, for the protocols to be ratified and for there to be any anticipated progress, in terms of secondary protocols or memoranda, there would have to be agreement on both sides and there would have to be full compliance with the dictates of agreement of Prespa”.

“The Beleris candidacy concerns the party, not the government”

“Do you consider it a success or failure of the government to put Mr. Beleris on the European ballot of New Democracy, with the known political past, while the issues with Albania are open, I am referring to the national minority, the Hague and the EEZ?” Sia Anagnostopoulou then asked the foreign minister.

“Greece is in principle in favor of Albania joining the EU and we certainly feel that the policy we have followed is in line with the interests of the Greek minority in Albania. The rule of law is not a bilateral issue. We have reduced it to a European issue. Greece, with its statement, expressed the reservation and will continue to do so, as long as there are issues that go back to the rule of law”, Giorgos Gerapetritis initially answered.

For the New Left MP to argue that “we have a complete failure of Greek foreign policy. We saw Mr. Mitsotakis, with fiestas with Mr. Rama, before the municipal elections. And right after that we saw all that happened with the municipal elections, with an elected mayor, etc.”

“Because I was in the government at the time that was set as a criterion, entered into the conclusions, the rule of law and the rights of the ethnic minority – did the government policy succeed or not during these years? And the inclusion of Mr. Beleris on the ND ballot, what does it signal but a wink to a far-right audience?”, insisted Sia Anagnostopoulou.

“The issue of Mr. Beleris’ inclusion on the ballot is something that concerns the party and does not concern the government,” Mr. Gerapetritis elaborated, adding: “Is it the right of each party to have candidates or not? If so, then it would be good to ask me a question regarding whether you consider the government’s position correct in what happened after May 14, 2023. Do you disagree with something in the position of the Greek government which was the one that upgraded the issue , from bilateral to European? Do you disagree with the fact that we explicitly stated that there must be a very systematic investigation into the observance of the prescribed conditions, which are respect for fundamental freedoms, respect for the rule of law, respect for the rights of minorities, respect for political rights, in order for the accession process to proceed? This is a perennial demand of the Greek governments”.

“I assure you that we will continue to have this attitude. Issues related to democracy and the rule of law cannot be discounted. And when the moment comes, Greece, as a very strong member of the European family, will have a very strong reason, whenever there is a question of evaluation in this progress”, concluded the foreign minister.