MEP Lucas Mandl, in an exclusive interview with The Geopost, spoke about Russian influence in the Balkans and Europe, Serbia’s position in this situation and the future of the Western Balkans.
According to Mandl, Russian disinformation in Europe is meant to divide and weaken Europe and Europeans.
” One of the findings of our Parliamentary Special Committee (of the European Parliament) was that 60% of disinformation and foreign interference have their origin in the Kremlin.
This is influence that harms our societies, that is meant to divide us and to weaken Europe, weaken the Europeans.”, Mandl told The Geopost.
As for Serbia, the MEP said that this country is losing all opportunities to be on the right side.
“Serbia is missing out each and every opportunity to be on the right side, for its own citizens.”, said Mandl.
Below you can find the full interview of Lukas Mandl for The Geopost:
The Geopost: How do you see the Russian influence in Europe?
MEP Lukas Mandl: We have run a Special Committee (the European Parliament) for two years and we have just restarted it recently on Foreign Interference against Europe’s democracies and on disinformation.
One of the findings of our Parliamentary Special Committee (of the European Parliament) was that 60% of disinformation and foreign interference have their origin in the Kremlin.
This is influence that harms our societies, that is meant to divide us and to weaken Europe, weaken the Europeans. This has been ongoing for many years. It is not quite as recent as the outbreak of war against Ukraine but it has been going for several years. This is one important example of the Kremlin’s influence in Europe, which is negative and which is always trying to divide us. Since Europe’s largest strength is its unity, attempts to weaken Europe manifest in trying to divide us. Following the Kremlin’s example, there are also other entities and powers on this planet trying to fight this unity.
The Geopost: Austria has made a balance with both Russia and the West. What is Vienna’s official position now let in the aggression against Ukraine?
MEP Lukas Mandl: Austria has always been part of the political West, since the second World War and has always contributed to a free world, to liberal democracy, to rule of law.
This is a clear position of Austria on this planet. As in other European countries before this awful war of aggression against Ukraine, there have been business contacts, economic ties with the Russian Federation. This is exactly the thing that we are trying to use now in order to sanction the Russian Federation for this war against Ukraine and for this war against freedom, dignity and our values. Due to these ties in the past, we have the opportunity to sanction Russia – and the sanctions work. This is the first unbloody defense against a bloody war attack in history.
The Geopost: How do you see Russian influence in the Balkans, before the war and even now, given the fact that it is a troubled region and the only region left outside the EU?
MEP Lukas Mandl: I would say that the EU has missed a lot in the six Western Balkan countries. We have missed many opportunities to include the six Western Balkan countries into the European Union. We have to speed up now, because missing out these opportunities meant to leave open the door for influence from outside Europe, from powers who do not share the values Europe represents – like the mentioned values as liberal democracy, rule of law and individual freedom for each and every person.
Also, the Kremlin has a lot of influence in the Western Balkans and always tries to divide us even here, to misuse entities, governing bodies and other public entities, even business entities. And there is also an organized crime connection. This is exactly the thing that we must not let happen at all.
The Geopost: How do you see the position of Serbia and their neutrality? Is President Vucic going with the West or East? How is your looking from Brussels and from Vienna?
MEP Lukas Mandl: Since the beginning of the war Serbia is showing sympathies for the Kremlin, and it is still threating its smaller neighbor country, the Republic of Kosovo, the youngest state of Europe. The Serbian leadership is screwing up a lot. This is extremely irritating and depressing. On March 1st the European Parliament has decided on a resolution showing literally “deep concern” about the Serbian position against the sanctions. The resolution has been adopted with a huge majority.
I share this concern with this vast majority of my colleagues in European Parliament. The behavior of the Serbian leadership is irritating – especially after the EU has been the largest donor to Serbia for decades and the EU has been counting Serbia as an accession candidate country. While this and more is given, Serbia positions itself quite on the wrong side of history in these times. This is also why Serbia plays a negative role in the Western Balkans at the moment.
I always share my clear view that Serbia could play for the Western Balkans the role that Germany plays for all Europe. Germany is large and economically strong. Serbia is not that large, but it is the largest country in the Western Balkans. Serbia is by far not that economically strong as Germany, but still the strongest country among the six Western Balkan countries. It would be something to take responsibility for future opportunities for wealth, for the youth, for perspectives in the field of education for the young people in all the Western Balkan countries, to connect more and to create more confidence between the Western Balkan countries.
Serbia is missing out each and every opportunity to be on the right side, for its own citizens.
I want to share this very important view that when we talk about these values and these opportunities and these future perspectives, we talk also about the future perspective of the citizens of Serbia. Obviously the leadership of Serbia plays a different game. And it’s an awful game actually.
The Geopost: Do you think that Serbia in cooperation with Russia can make troubles in the North of Kosovo, destabilizing the situation there or even in ‘Republika Srpska’?
MEP Lukas Mandl: I will always contribute to an international community of the free world which remains taking care of the security of Kosovo, of the sovereignity of Kosovo and this is why I hope we can avoid more tensions and violence of whatever kind. I still hope that Serbia will come on a positive path and open the door for itself and for the six Western Balkan countries for EU accession.
The Geopost: How do you comment the relations of Dodik from ‘Republika Srpska’ and Putin?
MEP Lukas Mandl: There’s obviously a lot of trouble in BiH due to Dodik’s behaviour. We have discussed that in various plenary sessions in the European Parliament and also in other meetings and discussions.
I guess there were some negative scenarios even before the war of aggression has been started against Ukraine. These troubles in Bosnia and Hercegovina seem to be disappearing at the moment but you should never trust into such a situation. There will be trouble again, as long as there is nationalism, hateful ideology and this readiness for violence around.
This is something that should not be part of today’s civilization of Europe.
The Geopost: Do you see any optimism in the European Union, especially in Brussels, to have a big plan about the Western Balkans? Is European Union finally ready to make Visa liberalization for Kosovo?
MEP Lukas Mandl: This is clear: The European Commission has decided that all the criteria that were in place in order to gain Visa liberalization for the people of Kosovo were fulfilled. The European Parliament has decided with large majorities several times that it would be in favor of Visa liberalization. There is still a small minority of member states governments who are blocking Visa free travel for the people of Kosovo. Many colleagues as myself are each and every day running and trying to convince the decision takers in these member states who build this small minority of member states who are blocking.
This is among the things which are not only overdue but long overdue. In a bigger picture the European Union needs to restructure itself. The war of aggression against Ukraine was a wake up call that we have to take care more of Europe’s strength to the outside, of Europe’s security, of the security of all Europeans, no matter whether they are EU citizens or Europeans which are not yet EU citizens. Also in the United Kingdom, in Switzerland, in Norway, in Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, but especially in the Western Balkans where the people have waited for many decades already on EU integration and on EU standards.
As mentioned, the EU has missed a lot of opportunities to include the Western Balkans and should do it now, as soon as possible.