Ivan Krastev falls into the category error of assuming something called “the EU” can solve all the petty nationalisms and irredentists and leftover hates of Europe’s history (“The EU is losing control”, Opinion, August 2).
It has been the leaders of nation states of Europe and no one in Brussels who have decided to mess up the Balkans. From Kohl’s unilateral recognition of Croatia to London’s years of appeasement of Milosevic until Tony Blair’s arrival in office, European nations have refused to place their nationalisms under EU control.
The refusal of five European states — Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia — to recognise the existence of Kosovo and promote the Belgrade fantasy it is a breakaway Serb province that one day with return to its former master is another example. President Macron in 2017 said the Western Balkans should join Europe.
But he reversed this line as the Islamaphobe right in France started waving the spectre of more European Muslims entering the EU — a spectre much used by anti-Europeans in the Brexit campaign in England.
Out of respect for Ivan Krastev we can pass over the role of Sofia, which has cynically done its all to sabotage over the years any rapprochement between Skopje and Athens.
There are plenty of proposals on offer from the EU External Action Service. But they are a dead letter given the strength of petty nationalisms that still boil up the blood in too much of European politics.
Denis MacShane
Former Europe Minister
London SW1, UK
