Novakovic: Key reason for Rutte’s visit to the Balkans is the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo visit was protocolary

Senior associate at the Center for International and Security Affairs (ISAC Fund), Igor Novakovic, assessed that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited the Western Balkans primarily due to the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while his visit to Kosovo was more protocolary than substantive.

"I believe this visit was primarily triggered by the recent turbulent events in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly everything that followed the verdict of the Bosnia and Herzegovina Court against Milorad Dodik. Consequently, since NATO is responsible for security under the Bosnia and Herzegovina Constitution, as well as in Kosovo, the Secretary General of the Alliance traveled to what are currently the two most turbulent points in the Balkans. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the key message was that the Alliance remains responsible for security and will not allow violations of the Dayton Agreement. Meanwhile, regarding Kosovo, it seems to me that this visit was more of a protocolary gesture than a substantial one," Novakovic told Kosovo Online.

Commenting on the message that Pristina and Belgrade must return to dialogue and normalize relations as soon as possible, Novakovic said this reflects NATO’s well-established position shared by all its member states.

"This message does not go beyond what has been stated over the past two to three years and is entirely in line with the overall narrative surrounding normalization," Novakovic emphasized.

He explains that the position of the NATO Secretary General does not allow for "clear political messages" to be sent.

"Very clear political messages are the responsibility of member states and their representatives, particularly the larger ones. Rutte, in this context, acts as the highest-ranking official but is essentially conveying messages that align with what has already been agreed upon and what is the official narrative," Novakovic explained.

He specifies that security challenges in Bosnia and Herzegovina are far more complex than those in Kosovo.

"In the case of Kosovo, escalation has mostly been limited to the north, which is a relatively small territory. The biggest security threat there was the potential involvement of Serbia. In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the situation is far more complicated because of the three constituent peoples, internal relations are not ideal, and a potential hotspot could escalate into a broader conflict," the researcher noted.

He adds that this is why NATO found it important to send the message that "violent scenarios will not be tolerated."

"At the same time, a political message was also sent, stating that the peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina and their political structures must resolve these issues among themselves," Novakovic concluded.