Mazreku: Kosovo’s cooperation with NATO members does not pose a threat to neighbors

Professor of European Law from Pristina, Avni Mazreku, stated that Kosovo’s cooperation with NATO members, including Albania and Croatia, does not pose a threat to its neighbors, and that its armament efforts are in line with its intention to join the Western Alliance.

“Any kind of cooperation between Kosovo and NATO does not represent any danger to neighboring countries, because Kosovo is in the process of preparing for NATO membership. Every system purchased from NATO member states serves this purpose. If Kosovo were signing an agreement to buy weapons from China, like Serbia, that would show that the country had no intention of joining NATO,” Mazreku told Kosovo Online.

He explained that every NATO member, as well as countries aspiring to become members of the Alliance, must meet certain criteria and conditions regarding the procurement of certain types of weapons and combat systems.

That is why Kosovo purchases armaments specifically from NATO member states: Albania, Croatia, Germany, or the United States.

“All these recent acquisitions are aimed at preparing the country for NATO membership, not at pursuing aggressive tendencies toward other countries. NATO is not an offensive but a defensive organization. Collective defense, in Articles 4 and 5, speaks about the solidarity of member states in defense. Article 5 deals with collective defense and says that if one member state is threatened, then that article is activated,” Mazreku explained.

He added that Kosovo is not a NATO member, but he attributes this to a “political problem,” since some states have not recognized Kosovo’s independence.

“This makes Kosovo’s NATO membership impossible from a political-formal standpoint, but Kosovo is part of every military organization connected to NATO’s authority in the region. Kosovo’s military capacities are directed toward this goal. Every project in which Kosovo participates in military operations and weapons system purchases, in order to align with NATO standards, are steps precisely aimed at preparing for NATO membership,” Mazreku stressed.