In early April 2013, ethnic Albanians in Kosovo carry the Albanian flag in protest of talks between Kosovo and Serb leaders. The EU-mediated session did not lead to a resolution of the status of the contested territory. Photo credit: AFP PHOTO/ARMEND NIMANI
Kosovo has been a hotly contested region of the Balkans for many centuries. Adversity has often devolved into violence, especially since the collapse of Yugoslavia in early 1990s. Kosovo declared itself an independent state in 2008, and is recognized as such by many countries. Yet Serbia, which lays claim to the territory, refuses to accept that condition. So Kosovo’s status as a universally accepted independent nation, and just who it does and does not represent, remains in the balance.
Unfortunately the latest round of talks between Serb and Kosovo leaders to come to some kind of agreement about these issues broke down on April 2, 2013. Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci claimed to have proposed measures to ensure the inclusion and integration of all citizens in a Kosovo state. He said these efforts received “hesitation” from the Serb side. Serbia Prime Minister Ivica Dacic left the EU-orchestrated meeting in Brussels without saying much of anything. Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s top foreign policy official, stated that she would not convene any further formal meetings between the two sides.
It is difficult to see where a resolution will come from in this situation. Animosity and distrust between Kosovo’s predominantly ethnic Albanian population and its Serb minority are high. In the north of Kosovo near the Serbian border, Serb communities basically refuse to acknowledge the existence of a Kosovo state, even running separate schools and hospitals. The office of a moderate Serb politician was bombed just on the suspicion he is conspiring with Albanian authorities.
This seems like an all too common case where adversaries are going to have to get over their past to secure a stable future. While much work remains, just the fact that Serbia and Kosovo are engaging in talks is a good sign. Serbia may be motivated by the prospect of joining the EU in seeking resolution, but if that’s what it takes, so be it. Though it couldn’t hurt for either side to demonstrate genuine commitment to a respectable resolution.
For Kosovo to be an accepted democracy, it must protect the rights of all people that live within its borders regardless of ethnicity or any other cultural factor. That should be the goal of all involved.
Also: Despite Aung San Suu Kyi’s participation in the government of Burma, democracy there still faces great challenges. The latest evidence of this is the outbreak of ethnic-driven riots this week. Click here for FPA blogger Tim LaRocco’s discussion of this latest development and reaction to it.
