Ivanov: EU threats without concrete measures, both Belgrade and Pristina use it

Helena Ivanov, a research associate at the Henry Jackson Research Center, assesses that the statements from EU officials about exerting pressure on Belgrade and Pristina for not fulfilling their promises are only verbal threats and that both sides know that they will not face sanctions for inaction.

"So far, we have not seen either side being substantively penalized or pressured to implement anything. Consequently, we have not witnessed any substantive steps toward normalization of relations or implementing what has been agreed upon. Simply put, both sides are aware that their inaction won't be sanctioned to the extent that the EU might say, so they see that they can 'get away' with not implementing what they claim they want to," Ivanov emphasizes.

Ivanov states that if the EU wants to achieve diplomatic progress in the implementation of agreements and normalization of relations, then these pressures need to move from verbal threats to some form of sanctions or measures against the party unwilling to implement what it has signed or verbally committed to.

"Now, if the European Union wants to score some diplomatic points, if it wants to substantively contribute to the normalization of relations, I think these pressures should really start to include some sanctions or at least some measures that would punish the parties not implementing what they previously signed or verbally declared they would implement in practice. Whether the EU will really do this, because this is a verbal threat that won't result in concrete measures, remains to be seen," Ivanov concludes.