BRUSSELS – Most of the political groups in the European Parliament have nominated their members for the positions of Rapporteurs for the Western Balkan countries, European Western Balkans learns. Previously, political groups have agreed on the division of the positions of Rapporteurs.
Tonino Picula (Croatia, S&D) will be the new Rapporteur for Serbia while Andreas Schieder (Austria, S&D) will be the Rapporteur for Albania. Thomas Waitz (Austria, Greens/EFA) will be the new Rapporteur for North Macedonia and Marjan Šarec (Slovenia, Renew Europe) will be the Rapporteur for Montenegro.
European People’s Party (EPP) has received the positions of Rapporteurs for Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the sources of our portal, Riho Terras from Estonia will be the Rapporteur for Kosovo, while the nominee for Bosnia and Herzegovina is not yet known. All nominations are yet to be officially confirmed.
Speaking at today’s press conference with Prime Ministers of Hungary and Slovakia, President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić also said that he had heard that the Rapporteur for Kosovo would be an Estonian” He added that it was “very weird” how many positions related to Serbia are or will be held by Estonians, including the High Representative, Secretary General of EEAS and Head of EU Office in Kosovo, RTS reports.
Rapporteurs for the Western Balkans are members of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), tasked with drafting annual reports on the state of play in the candidate and potential candidate countries from the region. The reports are subsequently discussed at the plenary sittinging.
In the previous European Parliament, Rapporteur for Serbia was Vladimír Bilčík (Slovakia, EPP), Rapporteur for Albania was Isabel Santos (Portugal, S&D), Rapporteur for Kosovo was Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Germany, Greens/EFA), Rapporteur for North Macedonia was Ilhan Kyuchyuk (Bulgaria, Renew Europe) and Rapporteur for Bosnia and Herzegovina was Paulo Rangel (Portugal, EPP). Tonino Picula, who is now nominated to the position of Rapporteur for Serbia, was Rapporteur for Montenegro in the previous European Parliament.