H.E. Anke Konrad, Ambassador Of Germany To Serbia

Economic growth in the eastern part of Germany has outpaced that in the West over the last ten years. However, it is also true that gaps remain, despite significant progress having been made in many areas, and that GDP per capita and the average income are also still lower. Closing the remaining gaps is a challenge for German society as a whole, and a call that’s addressed to all stakeholders ~ Anke Konrad

Commemorating the Day of German Unity represents an important event for the entire country. “For many Germans, this was the day their aspirations for a better life finally developed into something real, says German Ambassador Anke Konrad in this CorD Magazine interview. She adds that the fall of the Berlin Wall was a great step forward, regardless of the complaints that can be heard in East Germany today and the fact that the gap between East and West remains large despite three decades having passed since that historic event.

Your Excellency, every October sees your country commemorate the Day of German Unity. However, following this year’s elections in three East German states, an argument has resurfaced claiming that major differences still persist between Germany’s East and West, despite three decades having passed since reunification. How big is that gap?

— The Day of German Unity has a special place in the biography of many Germans – in both East and West Germany alike. For many Germans, this was the day that their aspirations for a better life finally developed into something real: the freedom to voice their opinions, the opportunity to decide on their own life path, to see the world beyond the Iron Curtain, and to enjoy a higher standard of living.

Many of these aspirations have since been fulfilled. We have witnessed significant improvements in living standards, infrastructure, housing and overall quality of life since the wall came down. Over the last ten years, economic growth in the eastern part of Germany outpaced that in the West. It is also true that, despite significant progress having been made in many areas, gaps remain. GDP per capita is still lower in the East, as is the average income. Closing the remaining gaps is a challenge for German society as a whole; it is a call directed towards all stakeholders.

You’ve stated that it is “regrettable that there has been no progress on the forming of the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo”. Whose failure is that – Pristina’s, Belgrade’s, the European Union’s, or perhaps Germany’s, which supports Albin Kurti strongly?

— It is indeed deeply regrettable that, despite the 2013 Brussels Agreement and the 2023 Ohrid Agreement, the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo isn’t progressing at the desired speed. More political resolve is needed. All sides must engage more actively to advance the implementation of these agreements, for the sake of the people living in the region. Neither unilateral, uncoordinated steps, nor escalatory rhetoric will lead to a better life for them. We need a constructive dialogue; we need political will from all sides and we need it now. Without the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the path to regional cooperation, as outlined in the Berlin Process, as well as the path towards the EU, will remain bumpy.

Your statement that lithium from Serbia “must be made available” has been commented on widely across the Serbian public. Is Germany’s stance on this matter motivated by its own economic interests, or is it acting as an official representative of the EU’s interests?

— If our aim is to achieve global climate targets and avert the worst effects of climate change, we need a sustainable energy transition in Europe. Without resources like lithium, that is impossible. It would be irresponsible to be wholly dependent on overseas imports of these raw materials. That’s why, in 2008, the European Union developed a Raw Materials Initiative to ensure reliable and sustainable access to raw materials as a major factor of European resilience.

Over the years, in addition to the question of access to raw materials, the associated value chains and socio-environmental issues took centre stage in discussions. On 23rd May 2024, the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act entered into force. It aims to strengthen European capacities in the area of critical resources along all stages of the value chain – extraction, processing and recycling. This will ensure that European industry is more resilient when it comes to achieving the green transition in a way that reduces strategic dependencies and ensures the best possible sustainable access to critical raw materials. This is certainly a shared European interest and is in the interest of all citizens who want to have a greener, less polluted and cleaner environment.

Was the inclusion of the Mercedes CEO in Chancellor Scholz’s delegation to Serbia aimed at easing public criticism in Serbia over lithium, or does it indicate a specific investment and, if so, which one?

— The presence of European enterprises, among them Mercedes, is proof of their interest in the Jadar Project and its post-extraction value chains. Of course, it is not up to me to comment on the investment plans of individual companies, but the fact that around 900 companies with German capital have so far decided to settle in Serbia is testimony to Serbia’s attractiveness as an investment destination.

If lithium extraction is instigated in Serbia, the Serbian authorities insist that Germany will guarantee that the highest environmental standards are met. On the other hand, Germany’s State Secretary for the Ministry of Economy, Franziska Brantner, who participated in talks on mining in Serbia, stated that this is a matter for the Serbian authorities. Who should be trusted?

— In July, the EU and Serbia signed and launched a Strategic Partnership on sustainable raw materials, battery value chains and electric vehicles. This partnership aims to enhance the development of value chains for raw materials, batteries and electric vehicles, and to stimulate cooperation in research and innovation – particularly when it comes to sharing knowledge and technologies related to sustainable exploration, extraction, processing and the recycling of raw materials. The full application of high environmental, social and governance standards and practices is a central theme of this endeavour.

As one of our contributions to bringing this strategic partnership to life, Germany is ready to provide expertise on the application of the highest possible standards in the mining process and the ensuing value chain, when it comes to protecting the environment and biodiversity, and to minimising risks. This requires a cooperative approach involving all stakeholders and building upon a firm understanding of the project.