AUSTRIA, January 10 - On 11 January 2023, to mark North Macedonia’s assumption of the chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg hosted his Macedonian colleague Bujar Osmani for a working meeting in Vienna. The discussion focussed on their collaboration within the OSCE in light of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and its impact on Europe, as well as the EU enlargement process in the Western Balkans.

Under the aegis of Foreign Minister Osmani, North Macedonia took over the OSCE chairmanship on 1 January 2023. Particularly since the outbreak of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, the organisation has found itself facing an institutional crisis. For instance, the Macedonian OSCE chair will face budgetary challenges as well as questions about filling leadership roles and extending the mandates for field missions.

In light of the war in Europe, Foreign Minister Schallenberg therefore expressed Austria’s support for the OSCE, the Macedonian chairmanship, and Secretary-General Helga Schmid:

As the organisation’s host state, Austria bears special responsibility for the OSCE. That is especially true in times of crisis, when it is important to maintain the OSCE as the central dialogue forum for European security. Russia is not going to disappear off the map – it will remain Europe’s largest neighbour. It is unclear to me how we hope to organise a stable European security architecture in the long term while completely ignoring Russia.

Various Austrian diplomats are committed to working in the OSCE, for instance on the Economics and Environment Committee and as special representatives. Austria also provides financial support for the OSCE’s work in Ukraine, for instance in the area of post-traumatic support for war survivors as well as mine clearance and environmental rehabilitation work in the war zone.

The discussion with Foreign Minister Osmani made it clear that, aside from the OSCE, the global shock waves of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine have also reached Northern Macedonia, which has been strongly dependent on Russia for energy. Foreign Minister Schallenberg emphasised that Austria supports energy diversification in North Macedonia and hopes Austrian companies will continue to support the energy transition there.

In addition to the energy sector, the Russian war of aggression is also having a harmful effect on the food supply, inflation, and economic growth in Northern Macedonia. Nonetheless, North Macedonia has clearly stood by the EU’s side since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and has adopted all of the sanctions against Russia, to Foreign Minister Schallenberg’s pleasure.

Referring to the EU sanctions that North Macedonia has adopted, Foreign Minister Schallenberg underlined his position on EU enlargement during his meeting with Foreign Minister Osmani:

The Western Balkans are a part of Europe. This region is not the backyard of the European Union, but the central courtyard. All the problems that arise there – in terms of security policy, in terms of stability – have a direct impact on us in Central Europe, too. That’s why we need this enlargement. It is not a bookkeeping process, but the most important geostrategic lever of the EU.

For that reason, Austria will continue to support the gradual integration of Northern Macedonia and the other five Western Balkan states into certain EU policy areas and on their path to full EU membership, affirmed Foreign Minister Schallenberg. Potential areas for this include the Single European Market, the Common Foreign and Security Policy, as well as education and research.