Locations of Albania (green) and Kosovo. Credit: Wikipedia Commons

Locations of Albania (green) and Kosovo. Credit: Wikipedia Commons
1 Europe Opinion 

SPD Victory And German Geopolitics: A Lesson For Tirana And Pristina – OpEd

Dr. Sadri Ramabaja 0 Comments

By

The recent parliamentary elections held last week in Germany, are one of the events that will mark the historic turning point in Europe. Prominent German political thinkers, geopolitologists and geoeconomists, not without legitimate concern and curiosity, ask the legitimate question: What will be the direction of Berlin’s foreign and security policy in a post-Merkel era?

For the expected direction of Berlin, as curious as Germany’s partners, allies and competitors are, with a dose of venerable concern. for this, the relative victory of the SPD (Social Democrats) and the historic defeat of the CDU / CSU (popular conservatives) are receiving full attention. Dozens, if not hundreds, of analyzes and comments have been published that make more predictable the course of the German ship in the turbulent sea of ​​modern geopolitics..

It is supposed that SPD candidate Olaf Scholz is expected soon to become the next chancellor of the EU’s most powerful state, seems at the price that his teams has considered – awarding highly important ministries to its partners. coalition – liberals (FDP) and moderate left (Die Gruenen).

The most urgent issues on the agenda of the incoming federal government

Germany had been in the hands of the Christian Democrat chancellor since 2005. Since then, the Social Democrats have either been in opposition or part of a broad coalition but have not been at the helm of government. From 2005, the Greens were no longer part of the government. The FDP has been out of power all along, since 1998, with the exception of 4 years.

The most urgent issues on the agenda not only of the negotiators, but also of the incoming government, remain the domestic ones, but almost all of them have highlighted foreign policy dimensions. As it is announced, this agenda includes: the modernization of the physical, administrative, educational and digital infrastructure of Germany, as well as the realization of a fair and green transition.

The incoming federal government is expected to begin work at a time of rapid and multidimensional international change. New threats, transnational risks, and a growing mix of external and internal developments will challenge governments’ ability to act. Most countries – including Germany – are losing their creative power. At the same time, it is becoming increasingly important to be able to influence international developments to achieve the classic domestic political goals: security, prosperity and political order. (1) Meanwhile, it is known that the new international order demands from Germany more responsibility for European security,

Eminent German expert of political and economic thoughts, recommend the new federal government to adopt the so-called “smart sovereignty approach”, according to which, the German government, should use increasingly limited energy sources, to have in mind the objective to prevent “any further loss of creative activity and influence, but also to open new opportunities for action through cooperation. The aim is to prevent another strategic breakdown: Germany should not approve the goals of others in key areas, but should be able to define and implement its own goals. It must also be able to support the goals of its partners, if considers them as important.” (2)

The exploration of this message by our governments, in Tirana and Pristina, would be enough to focus on the creation of a national strategy, which aims to achieve goals in some of the key areas of economic development and security, which, first of all, are the vital interest of the nation. Of course, all this should be in line with the interests and goals of our partners at the global level and those in the region.

Interdependence and sovereignty

Further, the voice of reason insists on maintaining the balance between the interdependence and sovereignty of the country. In this sense, German experts suggest to the federal government to consider achieving four objectives:

  1. Define goals and solutions to political problems and be able to decide politically;
  2. Develop structures and processes that facilitate the analysis of internal and external development problems and enable policy decisions and their implementation;
  3. Provide resources, skills and instruments for implementing the goals;
  4. To make offers of cooperation to partners in all three areas – namely in terms of goals, structures and resources. (3)

Further, the voice of reason insists on maintaining the balance between the interdependence and sovereignty of the country. In this sense, German experts suggest to the federal government to consider achieving four objectives:

  1. Define goals and solutions to political problems and be able to decide politically;
  2. Develop structures and processes that facilitate the analysis of internal and external development problems and enable policy decisions and their implementation;
  3. Provide resources, skills and instruments for implementing the goals;
  4. To make offers of cooperation to partners in all three areas – namely in terms of goals, structures and resources.

Each of these four objectives is not accidental, they are very much in line with the strategic interests of our two republics and can easily be turned into objectives of official Tirana and Pristina.

As for incoming German federal government also and our governments, the areas of action and problems, but also the solutions are interdependent and affect different spheres. “Smart” solutions mean that the measures and actions taken should not only have a relatively high level of effectiveness in solving problems in various areas, but also have low negative effects due to unintended consequences. This is a criterion that pays attention to the efficiency of energy use.

In this context, should be taken a look into the two expected decisions of our two governments: the one related to the construction of Hec Skavica in the Drini i Zi canyon (Peshkopi) and the decision of the Government of Kosovo regarding the project for the pipeline, which de facto does not have to do at all with American gas or belonging to any other state, but for the infrastructure that would bring natural gas, the European strategy in this area and the cost.

The Government of Kosovo, although was committed to continued cooperation with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a US development agency, is awaiting the results of the MCC-initiated study on pre-feasibility and then feasibility for construction of gas infrastructure in Kosovo. MCC has allocated a grant of up to $ 200 million, which could be used to build this infrastructure. But since MCC would not fund the entire project, the consequences seem to be undesirable for our economy and especially for households in the near future. Consequently, according to the government’s views, it seems unlikely that this project will pass. For this reason This decision, could be called smart.

*About the author: Dr Sadri Ramabaja, ILIRIA University, Pristina, Republic of Kosovo

Notes:

  1. https://dgap.org/de/forschung/publikationen/smarte-souveraenitaet
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.

Dr. Sadri Ramabaja

Dr. Sadri Ramabaja was born on October 4th, 1961 in the Village of Gollak, in the town of Dardania, Republic of Kosovo. Dr. Ramabaja has been an active member of the National Albanian Union Party for over fifteen years (1990-2005) until this political party ceased to exist and later on actively participated in the Social Democratic Party of Kosovo. Since 2010 has emerged as one of the leaders of the Self Determination Movement while promoting the main principles of this alliance and is a member of the National Assembly of Prishtina for two terms. In 1983 he was arrested by the Serbian Secret Service for his active role in Kosovo’s quest for independence. Thereafter Dr. Ramabaja was jailed as a political disident for three years in the penitentiary of Vraja. During his residence in Switzerland (1987-2002) he continued his University studies in Tirana, and his postgraduate studies in the University of Basel, in the European Studies Institute. For three years in a row (1987-1990) Dr. Ramabaja was the editor of VOICE OF KOSOVO, a newspaper published in Switezerland. During the years 2001-2004 he was the professional collaborator for Communications Media at the OST Institute-West in Bern, Switzerland. In 2002 returned to Kosovo and continued with his post-graduate studies at the College of Law and International Relations, where he graduated with a Masters Degree in International Law Sciences. In 2004-2006 Dr. Ramabaja served as a Senior Political Adviser in the Office of the Prime Minister of Kosovo. In November 2008 was a PHD Student of Political Sciences and International Relations, in the European Center for Peace and Development (ECPD) at the Peace University of the United Nations. In 2012 was transferred at the Graduate School of the European University of Tirana, to continue with his postgraduate degree defended through the presentation of his dissertation: “Albanian Federation-Cohesion of a Nation-State and the European Union” Dr. Ramabaja, has been published abroad in many renowned newspapers and magazines; has published eleven scientific and research papers in the field of international affairs and geopolitical studies. He is a Fellow of the International Political Studies Institute of Skopie, Macedonia. Dr. Ramabaja is the author of four Books in Albanian Language: “Realizmi politik dhe çështja kombëtare” (Tiranë, 1998); “UE-ja shpresë apo ringjallje utopish” (Prishtinë, 2003); “Gazetaria” (one of four co-authors of this university text book- Tiranë,2002); “Feniksit ia gjeta çerdhen”(Poetry - Tiranë, 1993); “Federata Shqiptare – Kohezioni i shteti-komb në BE”(Ph.D. Dissertation).

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *