MEP Lukas Mandl spoke about Russian influence in the Balkans and Europe, Serbia's position in this situation and the future of the Western Balkans.

According to Mandl, Russian misinformation in Europe is intended to divide and weaken Europe and Europeans.

"One of the findings of our Special Parliamentary Committee (of the European Parliament) was that 60% of foreign misinformation and interference originated in the Kremlin.

"This is an impact that hurts our societies, that aims to divide us and weaken Europe, weaken Europeans," Mandl said in an interview with The Geopost.

As for Serbia, the MEP said that this country is losing all opportunities to be on the right side.

"Serbia is losing all opportunities to be on the right side, for its citizens," Mandl said.

Below you can find Lucas Mandl's full interview: 

How do you see Russian influence in Europe?

MEP Lucas Mandl:

We have chaired a Special Committee (European Parliament) for two years and we have just recently resumed it on foreign interventions against European democracies and misinformation.

One of the findings of our Special Parliamentary Committee (of the European Parliament) was that 60% of foreign misinformation and interference originated in the Kremlin.

This is an impact that hurts our societies, that aims to divide us and weaken Europe, weaken Europeans.

This has been going on for many years.

It is not as recent as the outbreak of war against Ukraine, but it has continued for several years.

This is an important example of the Kremlin's influence in Europe, which is negative and always tries to divide us.

Since Europe's greatest strength is its unity, efforts to weaken Europe are manifested in efforts to divide us.

Following the example of the Kremlin, there are other entities and powers on this planet that are trying to fight this unity.

Austria has struck a balance with both Russia and the West.

What is the official position of Vienna now to allow aggression against Ukraine?

MEP Lucas Mandl:

Austria has always been part of the political West, since World War II and has always contributed to a free world, to liberal democracy, to the rule of law.

This is a clear position of Austria on this planet.

As in other European countries before this terrible war of aggression against Ukraine, there were business contacts and economic ties with the Russian Federation.

This is exactly what we are trying to use now to sanction the Russian Federation for this war against Ukraine and for this war against our freedom, dignity and values.

Because of these ties in the past, we have the opportunity to sanction Russia - and sanctions work.

This is the first bloodless defense against a bloody war attack in history.

How do you see Russian influence in the Balkans, before the war and even now, given the fact that it is a troubled region and the only region left outside the EU?

MEP Lucas Mandl:

I would say that the EU has lost a lot in the six countries of the Western Balkans.

We have missed many opportunities to include the six Western Balkan countries in the European Union.

We must hurry now, because losing these opportunities means leaving the door open for influence from outside Europe, from powers that do not share the values ​​that Europe represents - such values ​​as liberal democracy, the rule of law and individual freedom for each person.

The Kremlin also has a lot of influence in the Western Balkans and always tries to divide us here as well, abusing entities, governing bodies and other public entities, even business entities.

And there is also a connection to organized crime.

This is exactly what we should not allow to happen at all.

How do you see Serbia's stance and its neutrality?

Will President Vuiqiiq go with the West or the East?

How do you see this from Brussels and Vienna?

MEP Lukas Mandl:

Since the beginning of the war, Serbia has shown sympathy for the Kremlin and is still threatening its smallest neighboring state, the Republic of Kosovo, the youngest state in Europe.

The Serbian leadership is very depressed.

This is extremely irritating and depressing.

On March 1, the European Parliament passed a resolution showing "deep concern" over Serbia's stance against sanctions.

The resolution was adopted by a large majority.

I share this concern with this overwhelming majority of my colleagues in the European Parliament.

The behavior of the Serbian leadership is irritating - especially since the EU has been the largest donor to Serbia for decades and the EU has regarded Serbia as a candidate country for membership.

While everything has been given to it, Serbia has positioned itself on the wrong side of history in these times.

This is also why Serbia is playing a negative role in the Western Balkans at the moment.

I always share my clear view that Serbia can play for the Western Balkans the role that Germany plays for the whole of Europe.

Germany is big and economically strong.

Serbia is not that big, but it is the biggest country in the Western Balkans.

Serbia is far from being as economically strong as Germany, but it is still the strongest country among the six countries of the Western Balkans.

It would be something to take responsibility for future opportunities for wealth, for young people, for prospects in the field of youth education in all the countries of the Western Balkans, to connect more and to build more trust. between the countries of the Western Balkans, but Serbia is losing all opportunities to be on the right side, for its citizens.

I want to share this very important view that when we talk about these values ​​and these opportunities and these future perspectives, we also talk about the future perspective of the citizens of Serbia.

It is clear that the Serbian leadership is playing another game, and in fact it is a terrible game.

Do you think that Serbia in cooperation with Russia can cause trouble in the north of Kosovo, destabilizing the situation there or even in 'Republika Srpska'?

MEP Lukas Mandl:

I will always contribute to an international free world community that continues to care about Kosovo's security, Kosovo's sovereignty, and that is why I hope to avoid more tensions and violence of any kind.

I still hope that Serbia will take a positive path and open the door to itself and the six Western Balkan countries for EU membership.

How do you comment on the relations between Dodik from Republika Srpska and Putin?

MEP Lukas Mandl:

It is clear that there is a lot of trouble in BiH because of Dodik's behavior.

We have discussed this in various plenary sessions in the European Parliament and in other meetings and discussions.

I think there were some negative scenarios even before the start of the war of aggression against Ukraine.

These troubles in Bosnia and Herzegovina seem to be disappearing at the moment, but you should never believe in such a situation.

There will be trouble again, as long as there is nationalism, hateful ideology and a willingness to violence.

This is something that should not be part of today's European civilization.

Do you see any optimism in the European Union, especially in Brussels, to have a big plan for the Western Balkans?

Is the European Union finally ready for visa liberalization for Kosovo?

MEP Lukas Mandl

: This is clear: The European Commission has decided that all the criteria that were set to win visa liberalization for the people of Kosovo have been met.

The European Parliament has repeatedly decided by a large majority that it would be in favor of visa liberalization.

There is still a small minority of member state governments blocking visa-free travel for the people of Kosovo.

Many colleagues like me run every day and try to convince decision makers in these member states that they are building this small minority of blocking member states.

This is among the things that are not only belated but also very belated.

In a bigger picture, the European Union needs to be restructured.

The fight against aggression against Ukraine was a wake-up call that we should care more about Europe's strength from abroad, about Europe's security, about the security of all Europeans, whether they are EU citizens or non-citizens of the EU.

Also in the UK, Switzerland, Norway, Ukraine, Georgia and the Republic of Moldova, but especially in the Western Balkans where people have been waiting for many decades now for EU integration and EU standards.

As mentioned, the EU has missed many opportunities to include the Western Balkans and must do so now, as soon as possible.