Obama in the Balkans

Albania

Obama To Create New Values-Albania “Barack Obama’s presidency will create a new chapter of values, not only for the United States, but for the rest of the world,” Albanian Foreign Minister Lulzim Basha said. Albanians are very pro-American and the US elections are often presented as a standard of democracy in the country, where after 17-plus years of tumultuous transition, electoral practices are still substandard.

Macedonia - Greece

Macedonia Fears Obama Tilt, Greece Confident Macedonia looks to the inauguration of Barack Obama with some trepidation about a possible shift in the United States' position on the name dispute with Greece, while Athens appears quietly confident that the new US president will be more sympathetic to its stance. Washington recognized Macedonia under its disputed name during George W. Bush's second term in office, leading Macedonians to view his Republican party as more positively inclined towards them. Many fear that Obama, being a Democrat, might reverse that policy, and find cause to worry in him having signed a pro-Greek initiative back when he was a senator. Commenting on the election of Obama as President, Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis said his election was hopeful for Greece. She pointed out that he had supported all resolutions and proposals that were in line with Greek interests as a senator, even referring to Macedonia as 'the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM)' -- the name it is using in the UN and other international bodies at Greece's insistence.

Macedonian Foreign Minister Antonio Milososki said that the new US administration consists of people who know well the situation in south Eastern Europe, and "this could be an advantage that we might use.”“We will continue using consultancy to get in touch to the new administration and most importantly we will bring our political decisions that concern the US in close cooperation with them,” Milososki recently told.

Former minister and Social Democrats MP Radmila Sekerinska noted that the appointment of Hilary Clinton as the head of US foreign policy was also a good omen.“Her supporters, her family and husband played a great role in settling the Balkan crises in the past”, she said, referring to Bill Clinton's role in ending the Kosovo crisis. Sekerinska added that the support of the Republican former United States Secretary of State Collin Powel for Obama’s presidency was a good sign, because “Powel was one of the strongest supporters of Macedonia and according to many the decisive factor for the US recognition of our constitutional name."

In a letter to Obama, Macedonian Prime Minister Gruevski stressed the importance Skopje places to its strategic partnership with Washington. He is convinced that “the US will continue supporting Macedonia to take its well-deserved place in NATO as soon as possible”.

Serbia

Obama "Will Not Mean Change For Serbia Zivorad Kovacevic, a former Yugoslav ambassador to the US and current head of the European Movement NGO told Serbia's Novosti daily that US policy in the Western Balkans would stay in line with current positions."The US administration will be less arrogant and ready to listen, but Obama's policy is the same as Mccain's in context of Serbia and Western Balkans" Kovacevic said, adding that Washington has no dilemmas on Kosovo's status."The story is over for Obama," said Kovacevic. "The new administration believes there is no need to open new talks, neither international nor between Serbia and Kosovo. Obama has called for dialogue only in Kosovo between Serbian communities and the authorities in Pristina, and asked the Serbian government to show understanding for the new reality. Kosovo and Serbia are not among the new administration's 20 priorities." Kovacevic added that Obama supported Serbia's path towards the European Union, but would also insist on the arrest of Mladic. Above all, he said, the US expected Belgrade to not start trouble. "Washington will not mind Serbia sticking to its position about not recognising Kosovo's independence, but it will expect it to contact Kosovo's government specifically on matters regarding the Serbian community and cultural and religious artefacts," he added.

Kosovo

Obama Posters Flood Kosovo, Raise Hopes

Ahead of his inauguration as the 44th United States president, Barack Obama's winning smile is plastered on billboards and posters all around Kosovo, the most pro-American nation in Europe due to US support for its secession from Serbia. Washington was among the first capitals to recognise Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia last year, and has continued to stress its support for the Albanian-majority state in international forums. The US was also instrumental in the 1999 NATO bombing that expelled Serb forces accused of ethnic cleansing while fighting a counter-insurgency war.

Obama's path to the White House was keenly watched in Kosovo, with his foreign policy statements covered daily and scrutinised for hints of his future direction on the territory's progress towards full statehood.Recognised by most European Union countries, Kosovo is still under the mandate of international supervisors and is blocked from entering the UN and other international organisations by Serbia and it's big-power ally Russia. Politicians recognise they rely on the US for muscle, and from early on started efforts to lobby the new president, sending him a letter of congratulations on his victory. Political analysts say US foreign policy toward Kosovo will not change as Obama had shown his support for Kosovo's independence both with statements and by the choice of his team. “His political cabinet composed of Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton, both important figures in Kosovo’s history, testify as to his approach and attitude toward Kosovo”, analyst Mufial Limani for Balkan Insight. According to him, the US doesn’t have a “mystic love for Kosovo" but specific interests, adding that its foreign policy was driven by an agenda to protect human rights and spread democracy around the world.

Bosnia

Bosnia Hopes Obama Renews US Role In Balkans

Like in many other countries which are dependent on even the slightest shift in the US foreign policy, the inauguration ceremony of the new US president was broadcast live in Bosnia by several local TV and radio stations. Preoccupied with Afghanistan and Iraq and wanting the European Union to pick up the slack in its own back yard, the previous US administration under George W. Bush significantly reduced its political, military and financial presence in the Balkans. The shift coincided with deepening political deadlock in Bosnia and new tensions in Kosovo, Serbia and Macedonia, leading local and international analysts to warn that the situation requires renewed international attention and a new strategic approach from the West. Commentator Vlastimir Mijovic told state television that because of his culturally and ethnically mixed background, the new US President may have a better perspective on what is going on, and what is needed, in the Balkans.

Romania

Obama Offers Hope to Romania’s Gypsies

Romania's Gypsies, or Roma, once enslaved like African-Americans, and still struggling to overcome deep-seated prejudice seem particularly inspired by Barack Obama’s victory in the US Presidential Election. "When you see that an African-American becomes president, it shows you that the dreams can turn into reality," said Gruia Bumbu, chairman of the National Agency for the Roma. "It's like seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, the fight for equal opportunities can have a happy ending." Source: BalkanInsight.com