Senior State Department Officer Hoyt Brian Yee said on Wednesday that the Western Balkans face the most serious challenges since 1990. Deputy Assistant US Secretary of State at a session in the Senate region where senators and experts called for continuation of engagement Americans in the Balkans to counteract Russian influence and to avoid escalating crises, as well as to support reforms and stability.
On a day when a member of Congress and several other people were injured near Washington, Mr. Yee began the session, expressing the regret and solidarity of the State Department colleagues at the Subcommittee on Europe and Regional Security Co-operation session.
Mr. Yee said that if external and internal threats are not answered, they can have serious consequences for the Western Balkans, Europe and the United States.
“The Western Balkans face a number of threats: fragile institutions, shortcomings in the rule of law and inexpensive media have paved the way for deep-rooted corruption. This corruption puts at risk these new democracies and opened the way for destabilizing actors, including violent extremists, organized crime groups, and countries that want to exert a malicious influence, “he said.
Mr. Yee said domestic problems have paved the way for external threats such as Russia, which aims to curb the efforts of the countries in the region to pursue a Euro-Atlantic path.
The State Department official cited some progress made with US support, including the implementation of justice reform in Albania.
“With our engagement and Europe over the past month, we have seen some real successes with the entry of Montenegro’s Zin of NATO, certainly with the help of the Senate, Macedonian leaders cooperated to form a new government, the opposition of Albania Agreed to end the boycott and take part in the elections on June 25th and Serbia is expected to open two new chapters with the European Union this month. ”
He also stressed the need to continue the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
Republican Chairman of the Subcommittee Ron Johnson, who just made a visit to the region, said the message of those countries is clear:
“American leadership is needed in southeastern Europe. When the United States withdraws, the vacuum of influence is filled with countries with harmful intentions, “he said referring to Russian influence, one of the biggest concerns expressed in the sessions.
Senator Johnson said it is in the interest of the United States to have stability in the Balkans.
Even the deputy head of the Subcommittee, Democrat Chris Murphy, stressed that the United States should pay more attention to the Balkans, expressing the importance of the region on the international arena.
“Three of the biggest challenges facing US foreign policy are engulfing the Balkans. First, the disguised and open challenge of Russian influence undermining the support of Western institutions and further corroding democratic governance; Secondly, the rooted corruption that curbs economic progress and destabilizes governments throughout the region, and third, the growing radicalization of Muslim youth and the relatively small number of those who have gone to Syria from this region to fight ISIS. ”
… but the Democrat Senator expressed dissatisfaction with the message conveyed by the current US-led administration led by Republican Donald Trump.
“There is a total discrepancy between the exposure you make and the many challenges that need to increase the resources and budget that has come up,” he addressed to Mr. Yee.
Mr Murphy referred to the White House’s draft budget for foreign policy that has just been presented to Congress and that he said it anticipates major cuts for the Balkans. He said that in his opinion, those cuts have no chance of being adopted.
Mr. Murphy talked about the impressions he receives when he meets with Balkan leaders.
“They are concerned that we are sending a message with these cuts, with the lack of support for NATO, with criticism of the EU allies, that we are no longer interested in the region.”
Both Senators and Mr Yee and experts in many cases stressed the concern for increasing interest and Russian activity in the Western Balkans and said they are working with Balkan countries to face the malicious influence of Moscow. They said Russia’s internal weaknesses and pressures are exposed in the absence of clear EU and United States policies.
“My central message is that the continuing vagueness of the American message today could cause a crisis tomorrow, which would require much greater American engagement than it would have been for avoiding the crisis that has not started,” he said. Damon Wilson, Executive Vice President of the Council