Ivanov: Relations between Pristina and the West worse than before due to ignoring advice from the international community

Helena Ivanov, a research associate at the Henry Jackson Research Centre, told Kosovo Online that given Albin Kurti’s frequent unilateral actions despite advice from the international community, it can be said that relations between Kosovo’s authorities and their Western partners are at a lower level than they were five or ten years ago.

She pointed to Pristina's actions regarding license plate issues, the election of mayors in the north, and the debate over reopening the bridge on the Ibar.

“Ultimately, this is why certain sanctions were imposed on Kosovo, and we can understand why relations today are worse than before. These are far from serious sanctions that the authorities in Pristina are substantively feeling, and they have not led to a change in the way Kurti’s government conducts its policies. However, compared to five or ten years ago, these relations are indeed worse due to this government’s behavior on one hand and, on the other hand, because we have yet to see any substantive progress in the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina,” Ivanov noted.

Although there are opinions suggesting that Pristina’s unilateral actions are unlikely to be taken independently, without at least tacit approval from some of Kosovo’s Western allies, Ivanov stated that the official stance of all international partners is that they do not support any kind of unilateral actions, whether by Pristina or Belgrade.

“Any analysis I might make regarding whether they receive behind-the-scenes support of which we are unaware would be speculative. But what we can definitively conclude is that, despite the international community’s disapproval of Pristina’s frequent unilateral actions, it has not imposed penalties that would practically prevent Pristina’s authorities from taking such steps. Why the international community is acting this way is something few of us can say with certainty,” Ivanov said.

She added that her assumption is that the international community’s stance on Kosovo was defined over 20 years ago and that it has been working for decades to fully implement that position, which includes the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and the recognition of Kosovo.

“The international community has found itself in a difficult position due to Albin Kurti’s government, which is willing to act contrary to its advice. They now have two options: either backtrack and change a policy they have adhered to for over 20 years or continue what they are currently doing—hoping that by threatening further deterioration of relations and taking symbolic measures against Pristina’s authorities, they might persuade Kurti’s government to refrain from unilateral actions, become a constructive partner in the normalization process between Belgrade and Pristina, and adhere to previously agreed and long-accepted commitments. Specifically, I am referring to the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities in northern Kosovo,” Ivanov concluded.