Muhaxhiri: No lifting of sanctions without elections in the north

Political analyst from Pristina, Artan Muhaxhiri, states that the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Kosovo could have been avoided, but Prime Minister Albin Kurti was not willing to be constructive regarding northern Kosovo and the Community of Serb Municipalities. He believes that punitive measures will not be lifted until new elections are held in the north.

"The effects of the sanctions imposed by the European Union on Kosovo six months ago are significant, both practically and symbolically. Hundreds of millions of euros from IPA and other EU funds have been blocked. Symbolically, in terms of Kosovo's image, this has had a negative impact because it is the first time Kosovo is under sanctions, which could have been entirely avoided. However, Prime Minister Kurti was not willing to be constructive, as required, regarding northern Kosovo and the Community. This resulted from the missed opportunity to continue the dialogue and the blockades that Kurti wanted to impose in the negotiations," Muhaxhiri says for Kosovo Online.

He adds that this is a "very harsh lesson for Kurti."

"I hope he will not repeat it in the future because the response from Brussels will always be the same, regardless of the leader. If he attempts to block normalization, there will be sanctions, isolation, and a lower level of cooperation than before," our interlocutor believes.

When asked whether the sanctions have politically harmed Kurti or, on the contrary, have led to an increase in support from the electorate, Muhaxhiri thinks that they have been politically detrimental to the Prime Minister.

"Political power in Kosovo depends on the relationships leaders have with the international community. We still need support from the international community, the US, and powerful EU states, especially Germany. When this cooperation is 'damaged,' Kosovo will suffer. People have started to realize that Prime Minister Kurti must make compromises, become much more pragmatic, and not be stubborn when it comes to relations with the EU. There will always be political and financial repercussions if his decisions go completely against geostrategic and geopolitical projects for Kosovo and the Balkans as a whole," Muhaxhiri notes.

Regarding the constant calls from Kurti and officials in Pristina to lift the sanctions, claiming that Kosovo has fulfilled all EU requirements, even though there are still no elections in the north and the Community of Serb Municipalities, Muhaxhiri says that "elections in the north are one of the most important criteria for lifting punitive measures."

"This is a crucial step for the normalization of the situation, especially for the Serbian minority. They should have their representatives reflecting their political will. Until these elections are held, until there is a normal electoral process in the north, the sanctions will not be lifted," Muhaxhiri concludes.