Hoti: Pacolli could secure new recognitions of Kosovo from the African continent

Professor of International Relations at the University of Pristina, Afrim Hoti, stated that the new recognitions of Kosovo, announced by the leader of the Alliance for a New Kosovo, Behgjet Pacolli, could come from African countries.

"Pacolli, a former foreign minister, uses his business connections to lobby, and he continues to do so to secure new recognitions from those countries that have not yet recognized Kosovo. I have no idea which countries will do so, but I think they could be third-world countries, that is, from the African continent," Hoti told Kosovo Online, regarding Pacolli's statement that he would secure new recognitions of Kosovo through his diplomatic ties and contacts.

On the other hand, concerning Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's statement that he expects two countries, larger than Serbia, to withdraw their recognition of Kosovo in the near future, Hoti says that in international law, there is no such thing as withdrawing recognition; instead, countries can suspend relations.

"From a practical standpoint and a legal perspective, it is impossible for a state that has already recognized another state to withdraw that recognition. Countries can suspend relations, create tensions in their mutual political dealings, or even go to war with each other, but they cannot retract recognition. This is a political measure used by certain political leaders, in this case, the President of Serbia. He uses his connections, especially in third-world countries, in Africa, for example, which are uniquely structured in the sense that a particular country might have three governments—an official government, a government in exile, and a rebel government. Political leaders exploit such cases, but withdrawing recognition is not possible. It is merely political propaganda," Hoti explained.