Pavkovic: Ending UNMIK is a long way off

Milos Pavkovic, associate at the Belgrade-based Center for European Policy, told Kosovo Online that the UNMIK mission is a thorn in Pristina’s side, which is trying to lobby Western countries, primarily the United Kingdom and the United States, to have the mission abolished. However, he believes that ending this mission is a long way off.

“For UNMIK to be terminated, regardless of how limited its current powers are, a change to UN Security Council Resolution 1244, which is its legal basis, would be necessary, as well as consensus in the Security Council, which currently does not exist. It is unlikely that this will be on the Security Council’s agenda anytime soon,” Pavkovic believes.

Following a recent meeting with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, US Ambassador to the United Nations, Dorothy Shea, stated that the time has come to end the UNMIK mission. Pavkovic believes that the US and the UK’s interest in ending UNMIK is primarily financial, as the mission is costly and funded by UN member states, i.e., the Security Council members.

“Additionally, ending UNMIK is the wish of Pristina because, as long as the mission exists, despite its significantly reduced role over the past decade or more, it remains an obstacle to the building of Kosovo’s sovereignty and serves as proof that Kosovo is not an equal, sovereign, independent state like others,” he said.

Pavkovic believes that if UNMIK were abolished, it would very likely have a negative impact on the security of Serbs in Kosovo, as the mission performs an oversight function and its representatives submit reports to the Security Council on the situation on the ground.

“Presenting these reports to the UN Security Council is an opportunity to draw attention to all the problems faced by the Serbian community and the challenges it encounters. Not only the Serbian community but also other minority communities in Kosovo, as well as issues in the functioning of Kosovo’s institutions. It serves as a kind of barrier against the arbitrariness of Pristina’s institutions, which is one of the reasons why it is a thorn in their side. At the same time, it draws the attention of the international public and Security Council members to all the problems and challenges existing in Kosovo. These are additional reasons why actors in Pristina would like this mission to be ended,” Pavkovic concluded.