Council of Europe, visa liberalization, NATO... What would happen if Kosovo were not under the "punitive measures" of the US and EU?

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." This famous Shakespearean quote echoes through the corridors of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg for a few days now. Advanced corrosion, neglect, and decay have affected Western societies and their political elites, so, as in Hamlet, the general unhealthy condition can no longer be concealed.

Edited by: Milos Garic

Since the moment Kurti's government allegedly came "into favor" with influential Western mediators last summer, after persistent disenfranchisement of the Serbs and provoking tensions and conflicts in northern Kosovo, despite claims that the West imposed sanctions on Pristina, no one can definitively say what kind of "sanctions" are actually in place. However, what has been happening in the meantime shows some very tangible benefits for Pristina. Albin Kurti doesn't hide this fact.

The Kosovo Prime Minister recently assessed that 2024 had started with good news for Kosovo on the international scene, noting that it had all begun with visa liberalization, continuing the path towards membership in the Council of Europe. He emphasized that Kosovo's passport was now recognized by Spain and that Kosovo had advanced its status to that of an associate member in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Numerous international conferences, where representatives of Pristina are indispensable participants, as well as frequent and quite jubilant bilateral visits, do not indicate any deterioration in status. On the contrary.

If we wanted to be very polite, we could consider the current example of Western mediation in the Kosovo crisis as an excellent "litmus test" for illustrating the dramatic increase in the "acidity" of today's European democracy and the rule of law.

The situation became clear from the moment last summer when the EU and the US imposed "punitive measures" on the authorities in Pristina. After a series of Kurti's executive decisions, which brought the Serbian community in Kosovo to a level of freedom similar to that endured by the famous Kunta Kinte, it was definitely expected that Western officials, primarily in Brussels, would take a more serious approach. And, to the younger audience who hasn't read Alex Haley's book or doesn't remember the Roots TV series, I highly recommend seeking it out to see the depicted struggles of the aforementioned African-American man from the late 18th century in the United States.

So, the question arises - what would happen if Kosovo were not under the "punitive measures" of the US and EU?

Prominent civil society activist in Belgrade, lawyer Milan Antonijevic, agrees that the impression is that Pristina has been rewarded even though it does not fulfill its obligations.

"In recent years, we see that the authorities in Kosovo are maneuvering, not implementing decisions, and they should not be rewarded on any international level. This is how we should view the sanctions imposed on them, or rather measures against Kosovo, which were quite severe last summer. But, I would say, unfortunately, until Banjska. Later, we see this change and somewhat yielding to Kosovo, which is not good. I think that Serbia really needs to restore the reputation it had until September 24th and openly discuss that Kosovo must fulfill its obligations, that there are no promises and no turning a blind eye. This is very bad for Serbia's position in negotiations and for the Serbian public, but most importantly for the citizens in the north and those in enclaves," Antonijevic warns speaking to Kontekst.

The West does not plan to punish Kosovo

Regarding the potential membership of Kosovo in the Council of Europe, Antonijevic acknowledges that this is not a good decision.

"We must talk about the rights of the Serbs that are being violated. This is not a good message for any country within the Council of Europe that is considering whether it is time for Kosovo to enter as a full member or not. The issue with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is different. There is no need to fear it because Serbia has very good relations with NATO. Serbia's voice in NATO is much clearer and louder than what Kosovo can have, regardless of whether it is a part of the assembly of parliamentarians. Certainly, that decision, like everything else, including visa liberalization and the Council of Europe, is seen as a great success in Pristina. The question now arises whether the Kosovo authorities were punished for their bad behavior or rewarded. These decisions resonate in the public sphere of Serbia. In Kosovo public opinion, they qualify it as a success. But I think it's more of an advertisement," Antonijevic points out.

In his opinion, the news from the NATO Parliamentary Assembly is not a great success for Pristina, but the very likely entry into the Council of Europe is. However, Antonijevic leaves room for things to change before the definitive decision of the Council of Europe ministers.

"We should await the decision, that is, not wait, but work towards aligning the decision of the parliamentary assembly with Resolution 1244, and with the fact that only states are admitted to full membership, primarily. Then, there should be clear conditions regarding respect for human rights and everything that could, in the long run, truly undermine trust in the Council of Europe. Serbia expects a lot from the Council of Europe, and in terms of judicial reform, and fighting corruption, we must implement recommendations. Within the Euro-integration process, they help us with everything. They finance a lot of projects in Serbia. I don't think it's good for the Council of Europe to decide on Kosovo's membership in this way, but on the other hand, it's not good for Serbia to make rash decisions that could involve withdrawing from membership," Antonijevic emphasized.

The President of the Serbian League, Aleksandar Djurdjev, says that the West has never, nor does it plan to punish Kosovo Albanians for their behavior.

The explanation for this is quite simple - the Albanian side is merely a puppet and instrument in the hands of certain Western power centers, and as such, it never takes any independent actions but rather executes the orders it receives. Even if there are occasional tactical divergences between the Albanians and the collective West on the ground, they certainly do not disrupt their common strategy. The project of the so-called Kosovo independence is the brainchild of Western power centers, the same ones who brutally and inhumanely bombarded Serbia for three months 25 years ago, and they will not give it up so easily. On the other hand, the same centers seize every possible opportunity to punish Serbia for some invented wrongdoings, so Serbia is always condemned after the unilateral moves of the so-called official Pristina, in the sense that both sides are called upon to show restraint, even though the Albanians do everything they do thanks to Serbia's utmost restraint and tolerance because it seeks peace, stability, and progress for the entire region," Djurdjev explains for Kontekst.

He adds that the support from the US is unquestionable, although Berlin remains the main support.

"It is clear that the West wants Kosovo in NATO and will enable it to unlawfully enter the Council of Europe, and visa liberalization was a reward for the Albanians for their obedience.

"The West will continue to ignore the fact that it is responsible for the shameful bombing of our country in 1999. However, both sides have a significant and practically insoluble problem - Serbia's refusal to be complicit in such activities, the determination of the Serbs to defend their state, the proud and responsible behavior of the Serbian leadership, which will never recognize the so-called Kosovo, never grant a seat in the UN to that false state-like entity, and never allow a repeat of the pogrom and persecution of our people as seen in March 2004," Djurdjev emphasized.

Political analyst Dimitrije Milic believes that the West is currently not in a position to focus on the issue of Kosovo.

"The question is how much the West is really focused on pressing Pristina enough to fulfill its obligations. Due to the scattered focus now, it probably isn't. The West wants the issue of Kosovo to be resolved, in this chaotic world situation when their attention is scattered on Gaza, the South China Sea, issues with the Hutus, and future issues with China, they want to solve what is possible on the go. The priority is the position of the Serbian community due to the decisions and policies of Kurti's government. I assume that Western countries are now interested in resolving this quickly," Milic says for Kontekst.

However, he notes that the United States is closer to Pristina in most situations, as well as Germany, which supports them, although the government in Kosovo now relies more on Berlin than on Washington.

"Kurti therefore does not suffer much damage on the international stage; his bigger problems are on the domestic front, ahead of the elections in Kosovo. The question is, due to internal reforms within the State Department, upcoming elections, and changes in the roles of various personalities in the US administration, how the strategy will be further shaped and how circumstances will develop," Milic concludes.

In any case, the Hamlet-like message from the beginning of this text can ultimately be rounded off with the famous "to be or not to be," which in the case of Serbs in Kosovo does not present a dilemma but rather signifies the importance and inevitability of further struggle.