Arrest of Kosovo Police members and the 'flexibility' of diplomacy

Belgrade has repeatedly criticized Western countries for remaining silent on the arrests of Serbs in Kosovo, which has changed in recent days, at least partially. From the American and German ambassadors in Kosovo, there was a reaction to the arrest, not of Serbs, but of members of the Kosovo Police, and if we view things in good faith (bona fide), we could say that the diplomats are practically halfway to heeding the pleas from Belgrade.

"We are concerned about the recent case in which Serbian authorities detained Mr. Jankovic. This issue particularly worries me because he is someone we have known for years," said Hovenier regarding the arrest of the Deputy Director of Kosovo Police, Dejan Jankovic, while Rode assessed that it was "unacceptable and not something that can be expected from a country that is a candidate for EU membership."

Diplomacy, according to one definition, is the conduct of international relations more by negotiation than by force, from which one might conclude by the contrary - mala fide approach, that force is indeed present, and the extent of each in specific diplomatic moves is not fully defined. Or, as one experienced diplomat told Kosovo Online, diplomacy is "a flexible thing."

This "flexibility" caused the Prime Minister of Serbia to remind that no one from the international community reacts for years to everything that Albin Kurti does.

"I expect praise from the international community for our Ministry of Interior members, as well as for our prosecution and all relevant institutions," said Brnabic about the arrest of members of the Kosovo police.

President Vucic also noted that "there was no one who did not react" and ironically added that these detentions are "the biggest problem in the world."

"With this hypocrisy, disgusting approach towards a freedom-loving country like Serbia, we will have to get used to it, and it obviously will not change," Vucic concluded.

The absence of reactions when Serbs from Kosovo are arrested is actually a political message, believes former FR Yugoslavia ambassador to Germany Zoran Jeremic.

"These arrests of Serbs in Kosovo do not happen because Kurti wants them, nor because it is some political or judicial procedure. It is simply part of a political action for which Kurti has the support of certain circles and then such statements only help him to continue in that. The goal is actually further destabilization of the situation in Kosovo despite the declarative assertions that the intention of those who support him is the opposite," states Jeremic for Kosovo Online.

It is clear that these ambassadors believe that everything is permitted for them, adds our interlocutor.

"This is the logic of the great powers. They simply judge politically decisions that should go through normal, judicial, and customary paths, and it is highly unusual for such decisions to be commented on in this manner, by such individuals and with formulations that pre-judge — in this case one side. This is not usual, but, you know, it is also not usual for someone to bomb you and take part of your territory, and then it passes. This legalizes a new way of communication in international relations, in which force, and only it, decides what is right and what is not," says Jeremic.

 Diplomat Zoran Milivojevic emphasizes for Kosovo Online that the swift reaction of the US and German ambassadors in Pristina after the arrest of members of the Kosovo Police is politically motivated.

“They should have experience since Kurti arrests Serbs every day with the pretext that they threaten the constitutional order. Thus, Serbia is acting completely in accordance with its Constitution, laws, and security-related issues,” said Milivojevic.

According to his assessment, from a political and diplomatic standpoint, these reactions are mildly stated — unclear. "The reaction of the American ambassador speaks about respecting some agreements. It is not clear what agreements he is talking about when it comes to protecting the constitutional order of a country. What are these agreements? There are no bilateral agreements, only the organs of the parent state, Constitution, and laws," said Milivojevic.

As he pointed out, the German ambassador in Pristina, Jorn Rode, was even less clear in his critique.

“Mr. Rode says he does not understand and requests a release, citing the fact that Serbia is an EU candidate. What does the EU candidacy and Serbia’s accession negotiations have to do with the arrest of a person endangering the constitutional order of a country? It has nothing to do with it,” Milivojevic stated emphatically.

He assesses that there is unquestionably a political message which confirms what has been known in Serbia for a long time.

“Serbia is under political pressure to accept everything that Kurti's side and his government do. And all the arrests of Serbs without any legal or other basis, holding people for a year in detention which is beyond all norms and standards of precisely civilized states and precisely those states whose ambassadors are speaking up, namely the USA and Germany. And there is no reaction. And there are neither notifications nor explanations, nor outcomes of all these arrests,” said Milivojevic.

This is a message to Serbia that it currently has a narrowed maneuvering space, assesses Petar Milutinovic from the Institute for European Studies for Kosovo Online.

"This is a political decision, it is the stance of Western countries to react only when they feel that their interests in Kosovo are threatened, when what they have financed, what they have created, what they have established — the so-called Kosovo Police — is now being pursued and detained by Serbian authorities as some form of retaliation for what happened with Kosovo's membership in the Council of Europe. And that is truly condemnable, but it is unfair and is a political decision in the sense that they now, when it affects their interests, only then do they respond. When it affects the interests of the other side, they do not respond and do not advocate the same principles in such a decisive and very fast manner," says Milutinovic, adding that this has long been known to everyone.

He emphasizes that this is "a very bad signal in which direction further events are unfolding," and that what was agreed in the Ohrid Agreement is now actually being implemented — that Serbia should not oppose Kosovo's membership in various international organizations, among which are the Council of Europe, the European Union, and NATO.

"This incident with the Council of Europe has actually caused these unfortunate events which then further provoked such statements, which seem to me, only further narrow the diplomatic maneuvering space of Serbia. But this should not be exploited in that way, namely Serbia should not now go on the defensive, but on the contrary, should go on the offensive to finally establish the basic postulates of this process of normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and to finally, as far as possible, achieve some progress, all in the aim of stabilizing the political situation in the Western Balkans and complete integration into the EU," states Milutinovic.

According to his words, both sides have an interest in being full members of the EU, which he adds is something that is long-term, strategically speaking, the only feasible option.

"Everything else further are just machinations and just a waste of time. Missed opportunities, unused opportunities, years pass, unfortunately, a lot of money is lost, a lot of time is wasted. I say once again, the maneuvering and diplomatic space is narrowing, not just for Serbia but also for Kosovo," concludes our interlocutor.