In a comprehensive interview with the Head of the Albanian Service at the VOA, Arben Xhixho, Escobar touched on the recent tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, the dialogue between them, the crackdown on corruption, the public designation by the Secretary of State of former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the role of China and Russia in the Western Balkans.

In reply to the question about his priorities for the Western Balkans and the pressing issues he will deal with, he said:

The first issue, which is in the medium-term, we would like to see faster integration of the Western Balkans into the European Union. We think these countries have made tremendous progress because they are culturally, historically and economically European. Many of the countries have already made remarkable reforms. And for Europe, this is a step worth taking.

They share the same values and common interests with the rest of Europe. So this is important and will be a priority. Other than this, it is the NATO membership for those who are interested. This will obviously require me to work very closely with our European partners, many of whom share our view on this issue. But from our perspective, this should be a process that needs to be done dynamically and actively. So I would like to see this process become more dynamic.

The other process is about the future, the future generation of the Balkans. And to that end we are exploring the economic opportunities. The Western Balkans is an area with great opportunities. They are dynamic, have excellent universities, they have very qualified people. Unfortunately, many people do not see opportunities in their countries and are leaving. With the passing of time, emigration will become a strategic problem, not only for the Balkan countries, but also for Europe and the United States. So I am very interested in all these issues and ideas related to economic integration. If you look at the Western Balkans as a whole, you could have an economic group of six countries, maybe even more, of about 20 million inhabitants, with a gross domestic product of about $ 125 billion and economic growth rates of up to 5%. Given this, it would be the fastest growing region in Europe. And that’s positive, for us politically, and I think it’s going to be positive for American investors, too, who want to invest in that part of the world.

Regarding the question about the recent tensions that have mounted between Kosovo and Serbia over the issue of license plates? Are both parties doing it for political gain with their constituents, or is there any possibility of the situation escalating?

Escobar said that we are very committed to this issue with our European partners. We believe that both parties should refrain from using harmful rhetoric and focus their attention and energy on the EU-mediated dialogue. We strongly support this dialogue and I am in close touch with Miroslav Lajcak. He has very good proposals at hand. He is trying to bring both parties to Brussels to discuss the issue of license plates, with the aim of negotiating a lasting solution, and there are some good solutions. But it is up to both parties, it is up to them to go to Brussels and address this issue. It is also in the hands of both parties not to adopt a military approach to this issue and not to send Special Forces to a place where we have KFOR. There is no need for such a thing. As to the issue of license plates we would like to see some moves in Brussels, probably as early as next week.

VOA: The US wants to see a solution between Kosovo and Serbia based on mutual recognition between the two countries and supports the EU-mediated dialogue, a process that has dragged on for 10 years without much progress. Is it time for a new approach?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: No approach, I think the time has come for a renewed effort for dialogue. Dialogue needs support from the European Union.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: I would say that, with all due respect for our European colleagues, people in the region are not always convinced that Europe accepts them. So Europe must send a message that these countries will be members of the European Union and that they will join it within a reasonable period of time. The EU-mediated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is part of this effort. But the effort is about the whole region. It includes Bosnia, North Macedonia, Albania and Montenegro. The message must be very clear to the people of these countries, that they will be part of the European Union.

VOA: Secretary Blinken’s decision to publicly designate former President Sali Berisha for major corruption has sparked debates in Albania, for the fact that he has not been in any decision-making position in the last 8 years. While this is a political decision by the US, to advance its national interests, some people question why this decision was taken now. In the absence of a due process in Albania, do these designations risk falling short of the targets? If an Albanian court, or the Albanian authorities will ask the US to share the information, since you say you have evidence, if they ask you, is the United States ready to provide information?

Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: First of all, the designation was intended to curb corruption, it did not relate to the elections, to the parties within…

Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: There are several reasons, first, we have new competencies. Then, during that period, an inquiry had to be carried out and we had to make sure that we were able to do the information processing. Regarding the transfer of information to Albania, we already have a very strong cooperation in the field of law enforcement, but also in the military field and we forward a lot of information. I will not comment on any specific legal procedure, but we have a good partnership with Albania.

VOA: The current government has been in office for 8 years and corruption in Albania has been, I am quoting here the report of the State Department: “all-pervasive”. But we have not seen the designation of any official in office. Are we expected to see other determinations in the future?
Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: You will see other designations for the whole region. I cannot comment on specific cases. But we intend to use the competencies for the purpose they were created.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Escobar: Last year, President Biden announced a series of new mechanisms that provide for sanctions specifically against corruption, not necessarily against criminal activity, but corruption. We plan to use these mechanisms very aggressively.
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