Summary of the Week 91

Although determined to move forward, reality constantly holds them back and forces them to look over their shoulder. Circumstances in Kosovo seem to keep rewinding life back to the beginning. This week, no one managed to “step on the gas” and get moving. Even those whose job it is to drive and move forward came to a halt.

With the latest decision of the Constitutional Court, looking back would mean that none of this ever happened—no assembly, no elections, no voting. Still, says the Constitutional Court, we will not look at what has passed. What lies ahead, however, already displeases many—above all, the Self-Determination Movement.

“In a way, karma has caught up with them,” political scientist Ognjen Gogic comments on Self-Determination’s dissatisfaction with the Constitutional Court’s ruling. “In a way, they fell into the trap they themselves had set,” Gogic says.

The traps laid before the Community of Serb Municipalities have so far worked. Whether the future can change what the past has already signed is the question—or a new trap for the public.

“What Pristina’s idea is, is to approach the Community of Serb Municipalities and its formation only once it has been completely hollowed out and no longer has any real significance for the Serb community,” says Stefan Surlic, assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences.

Rewinding over agreements important to the Serb community has proven to be unpunished. When it comes to Western interests, however, neither rewinding nor ignoring is desirable. Kosovo analysts and politicians are well aware of that.

“I don’t believe the Government of Kosovo will have the comfort to confront the international community,” believes Nexhmedin Spahiu, professor.

Truck drivers are not accustomed to comfort. Now, fearing what the future and the full application of the new rule may bring, they have asked for at least the basics.

“Drivers who exceed 90 days in Europe, in the Schengen zone, are treated like criminals—they are deported and bans are imposed,” truck driver Ljubisa Nejdanovic explained to Kosovo Online the reasons for the morning blockade.

Understood, considered, and something will change in the foreseeable future—was Brussels’ message after several days of blocked crossings. When days are costly, it turned out, postponement is not an option.

“Time is short—decisions are required, speed is required,” says Petar Donic from Novi Treci Put.

Quick with decisions, even quicker with announcements. Recent history has shown that military promises are handsomely rewarded. Let the future worry about implementation.

“We have announcements about ammunition factories, about drone production, but operational steps are probably not being taken due to political instability in Kosovo,” comments political scientist Nikola Vujinovic on the frequent announcements.

Instability in Kosovo cannot be rewound. Every attempt, as we have seen, brings the crisis back to the beginning—and forces citizens to relive the same experience all over again.