Tanaskovic: The Pope's visit to Kosovo would set back the constructive relations between Serbia and the Holy See and the sensitive relations between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church

Pope Francis' recent statement that "a visit to Kosovo is being worked on" but that "it is not defined" has opened up more questions about this extremely sensitive topic considering that the Holy See does not recognize Kosovo. The question of the character of that visit, but also the consequences it would produce in relations with both Belgrade and the Serbian Orthodox Church. On this occasion, the former Ambassador of Serbia to the Holy See, Darko Tanaskovic, tells Kosovo Online that if Pope Francis, under certain circumstances, decided to visit Kosovo, it could officially only be a pastoral visit, although he notes that such papal visits have an undoubted political weight.

At the same time, Tanaskovic expresses his doubt that, as he says, Pope Francis' plane will land at the Pristina airport in the foreseeable future.

In a recent interview, Pope Francis stated, "We are also working on a visit to Kosovo, but that has not been defined". What could be the nature of an eventual papal visit to Kosovo, bearing in mind that the Holy See has not recognized Kosovo?

With the note that I am no longer in a position to follow closely and up-to-date the issues to which your question refers, as far as I know, before his visit to Portugal, Pope Francis, in a conversation with a journalist from the Catholic newspaper "Novi Zivot", when asked about his upcoming travels, said that he would not visit large European countries until he first visited small ones, which he started with a visit to Albania (2014). Regarding a possible trip to "Kosovo", he said, "We are working on Kosovo, but it has not been decided." Some media expanded and "specified" the Pope's statement, in the sense that "we are working on a visit to Kosovo, but it is not yet definitive". The Pope used the adjective "definito" and not "definitivo", which is certainly not accidental. And in his native Spanish, and in the Italian language as well, although these two adjectives are conditionally close in meaning, the semantic difference between them is quite clear. Also, in the news headlines that also contain this mention of "Kosovo" in some print and electronic media, it is written, "The Pope would like to visit Kosovo". One should be extremely careful and responsible with the statements of Vatican officials, which has been confirmed countless times in diplomatic practice.

Based on the concise statement of Pope Francis that "work is being done on Kosovo", where the papal envoy has been working since 2011, allegedly for reasons of pastoral and not diplomatic needs, it should not be concluded that he will come soon or even that the pontiff’s visit to Kosovo will happen in the foreseeable future. Of course, it should not be completely excluded, because "Kosovo" was indeed mentioned in the context of potential papal destinations. If Pope Francis would, under certain circumstances, decide to visit our southern province, then it could officially only be a pastoral visit, even though such papal visits have an undoubted political weight and carry a message that is not only of spiritual importance. I am certainly not sufficiently informed about all aspects and dimensions of the current situation, but I still dare to express skepticism regarding the fact that Pope Francis' plane will land at the Pristina airport in the foreseeable future.

Would it be a visit of only a religious character, not a political one, or is it inseparable in the case of the Vatican?

At one time, it was proposed that the head of the Roman Catholic Church, given the mood in the Serbian Orthodox Church, should come to Yugoslavia/Serbia exclusively as a statesman, but the Vatican did not consider such a possibility at all. Hand on heart, even those who proposed this solution here knew that such a format of the visit was practically unattainable.

Do you know whether Pope Francis or any head of the Roman Catholic Church before him, visited entities that the Holy See did not recognize?

I don't have a precise record of papal travels, but I'm almost certain it wasn't.

By the way, during his visit to the Holy See on June 22, the Prime Minister of Pristina institutions, Albin Kurti, did invite Pope Francis to visit "Kosovo", which was the reason for bringing this topic up to date in the public eye. The Holy See does not recognize the independence of "Kosovo", so no official statement was issued even after Kurti's visit. Pristina officials visited the head of the Roman Catholic Church on several occasions (Hashim Thaci - in 2016 and 2017, Ramush Haradinaj - in 2018, Behgjet Pacolli – in 2019, and Vjosa Osmani at the beginning of this year). Thaci even announced the Pope's imminent visit to "Kosovo".

Can it be assumed that the visit, if it were to happen, would affect the relations between Belgrade and the Holy See, as well as between the Serbian Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church?

It would, without any doubt, have an extremely negative effect and would significantly set back today's stable and constructive interstate, bilateral relations between Serbia and the Holy See, the sensitive but also balanced inter-church relations between the SOC and the Catholic Church, as well as the overall Orthodox-Catholic ecumenical dialogue, which state of affairs Pope Francis cares very much about. It is difficult to see strong enough reasons, especially in the midst of the great Ukrainian crisis, for which the Pope would question everything said for the sake of visiting Albin Kurti and his group. But in recent years, when it comes to politics, we have been empirically convinced of the correctness of the wisdom contained in the words: never say never... Serbia and the SOC must, as much as it depends on them, proactively act against unpleasant surprises.