BULGARIA'S VIEWS ON KOSOVO, EULEX, AND MACEDONIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L SOFIA 000469 NOFORN SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2018 TAGS: PINR ECON PGOV BU SUBJECT: BULGARIA'S VIEWS ON KOSOVO, EULEX, AND MACEDONIA (C-RE8-01061) REF: STATE 60548 Classified By: CDA Alex Karagiannis for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C/NF) In response to REFTEL, Polec officer met July 1 with Bulgarian MFA's Europe Directorate I Chief (Western Balkans) Ambassador Krassimir Tulechki to discuss Kosovo issues after the June 30 International Steering Group (ISG) meeting in Pristina. According to Tulechki, the transition from UNMIK to EULEX is "very difficult" across all Kosovo. He said many Kosovars, both Albanian and Serb, feel that UNSCR 1244 is the only "official" document that regulates the political/security situation in Kosovo, and they are not willing to recognize EULEX. ¶2. (C/NF) Tulechki predicts the new Serbian government will be difficult to work with in the beginning, and he added the West should refrain from pushing the new Serbian government too hard early on to allow the new leaders to gain their footing. He said the new government should be formed in a few weeks and the new Serbian Foreign Minister could be Ivan Vejvode -- who is the current executive director of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, and was a member of slain Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Djinjdic's inner circle. According to Tulechki, that would be a good sign the new Serbian government will be more pro-European. Tulechki added that Kosovar Serbs told the Bulgarian Consul General in Nis that Belgrade continues to demand "loyalty" from Kosovar Serbs by insisting they create parallel government structures and that they ignore and demonstrate against Pristina's authority in exchange for "promises of everything," such as money and jobs. The Kosovar Serbs, in turn, are disappointed because Belgrade in reality offers "nothing" in return. Many Kosovar Serbs want to move to Serbia, but Belgrade insists they stay in Kosovo for the leverage and influence they offer Belgrade there. ¶3. (C/NF) Tulechki opined that in reality Macedonia does not want to become a NATO or EU member. He alleged Skopje is taking orders from Belgrade, just like the Republika Srbska. He said Belgrade has the "files" of many people in the governments of Macedonia, Republika Srbska, and Kosovo, and is using them to influence these governments. Belgrade is doing this to destabilize the region and to maintain Serbia's position as a major regional player. He added real change in Macedonia will only come with a new generation of political leaders. (Comment: This is the most extreme view we have heard about Macedonia from Bulgarian officials, who in general have been disappointed with the Gruevsky government's handling of relations with its neighbors but have heretofore stopped far short from such allegations. Tulechki is ordinarily very serious and sober-minded, so his remarks are out of character attention-grabbers. End comment.) Karagiannis