I do not believe that the conflict between Russia and the West on the issue of Ukraine will be transferred to Balkans. Vladimir Putin has no interest in that, said in an exclusive interview for "Dnevni Avaz" Erik Jones, director of the Institute for European Studies of the University "John Hopkins" with headquarters in Bologna. Jones is considered as a leading expert on foreign policy, a good connoisseur of the situation in our country and the region. For him is quite understandable why Western leaders were not on Putin's parade in Moscow.

- West and Russia have a multidimensional relationship that is now overshadowed by the question of Ukraine. This does not mean that we are no longer partners, but it does mean that there is a considerable disagreement about the conflict in Ukraine. In this context, it is difficult to expect that the leaders of the West would attend parade - says Jones.

Kosovo case

Can this problem with Russia extend to Balkans, considering the fact that there is a sense of strengthening of the role of this country?

- There is little chance for that, and I do not see the interest to transfer the crisis from the Caucasus and Ukraine to Balkans. On the contrary, I see the interest of developing that part of Europe to help the process of reconciliation. I think at the same time on Russia, which has no interest in making instability on the Balkans.

 But separatist ideas in B&H find basis in the case of Ukraine, or in Russian supporting of the local separatism ...

- If there is any connection, then it is not a direct connection between RS and Ukraine, but it is going through Kosovo. Separatists from the Republic of Slovenia and Russia use Kosovo as a factor of legitimacy for their intentions. RS is also used. But that comparison strongly rejects western countries who see Kosovo as a unique sui generis case, which is not an example for the future. Separatists in RS do not agree with that because it does not fit to them.

 Do you see in it a threat to the future of a unified B&H?

- No, certainly not in the fact that Russia would supported separatism in B&H, as they do in eastern Ukraine. But, to the extent that separatists in RS want separation of they do not even need the sponsorship of Russia to make trouble for the organizational structure of B&H. The Russian government has more interest tthat the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia start having success than to support separatism. The people of RS, see in Russia an ally, but I do not think that they will find an ally in Russia.

Problem migrants

EU has stepped up the fight against terrorism and violent extremism. Do you think that connecting Bosnia with the problem can leave some consequences on our country's path towards the EU?

- There is always a chance that it could affect, but only to the extent to which B&H is bounded in network of violent extremism. And this connection B&H had has dropped sharply and it shows how migration routes are changing. They do not go through Balkans, rather through Greece and Italy. Arrival of migrants caught the capacity of the EU in recent years. It will certainly be a far greater problem than anything else from B&H.

 But, it is often said that B&H can be a source of threat, due to the fact that there is a large number of Muslims?

- Nothing you can not completely reject, but we're talking about indigenous Muslims, they are in Bosnia, and it should be kept in mind. I'm much more concerned about the Muslim population in Netherlands, Germany or France, and the UK. They are victims of globalization and radicalization and intelligence communities worry a lot about them.

Passed the era when EU made pro-European government

How do you value the role of  EU in B&H. Are they sufficiently involved in terms of approximation of our country to becoming a member of EU?

- The EU is doing what it can - promoting perspective of membership in accordance with a reasonable pace of economic and social evolution. But this process will not

determine what EU does, but what Bosnians do. The era in which EU wanted to make a strong pro-European government concentrated in a single structure that would implement

reforms, and that lasted from 1999 until the spring of 2013, has passed. The EU now has a more realistic sense of their capacity to support the reform and what can be achieved in B&H, but also in other countries.