by Anna Karamanou (PSE) to the
Commission and Council
(20 February
2001)
|
Subject: Threat to
peace in the Balkans and the rise in Albanian nationalism |
|
In my capacity as
European Parliament rapporteur on the implementation of the action plan for
Albania and the neighbouring region, I am fully aware of the difficulties
facing the Albanian Government in its attempts to strengthen democratic
institutions. I should therefore like to express my profound alarm at the
events that have unfolded over the last few days in southern Serbia, Kosovo
and the FYROM where groups of armed Albanians have been attacking KFOR troops
and the police and have been involved in violent confrontations with the
remaining members of the Serb population. It is clear that the
new strategy of the reorganised Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK/KLA) aims to
change the borders of the Balkans by making Kosovo independent and uniting
all Albanians in a "Greater Albania", which poses
a serious threat to peace in the Balkans and indeed the whole of Europe. Bearing in mind the
grave threat to the stability of the region posed by extremist nationalist
organisations, what measures does the Commission intend to take to help
defuse the crisis before it is too late? |