The Kosovan Gazeta Express newspaper published an article alleging that the controversial Mini – Schengen initiative doesn’t have the support of the United States or of the European Union, but was pushed by former top US diplomat Victoria Nuland and Alexander Soros, the son of billionaire leftist activist George Soros.
Kosovo has refused to join the initiative despite the fact that it is endorsed by its close ally Albania. Kosovo fears it would increase the clout of Serbia in the Balkans, who is the other larger partner in the project. Macedonia is the third member of the group that should work to lower even further the red tape required when crossing and trading across borders. The outgoing Prime Minister of Macedonia Zoran Zaev presented the initiative as a consolation prize of sorts, after Macedonia and Albania were denied the opening of EU accession talks in October.
Gazeta Express claims that it has a document from the Kosovan Foreign Ministry that describes the initiative as an idea coming from Nuland and Soros Jr., after meetings these two had in the three countries that have now joined it. In the document, Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry proposed that it counters the initiative by pushing for closer ties with Montnegro, which is lukewarm to the idea, and with Albania.
Soros attended the second “Mini – Schengen Summit” which Zaev hosted in Ohrid. Gazeta Shqiptare reports that he was also in Tirana and Belgrade, and was attempting to get Kosovo to join as well but President Hashim Thaci refused. Soros strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron for blocking the opening of EU accession talks for Macedonia and Albania, accusing the opponents of enlargement of Albanophobia.
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