Petritsch: Most dangerous crisis in Kosovo since 2008, things could easily get out of control

Austrian diplomat Wolfgang Petritsch stated that the current situation in Kosovo represented the most dangerous crisis since the unilateral declaration of independence in 2008. He warned that things could easily spiral out of control, potentially undoing the progress achieved in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina under the auspices of the European Union over the past decade, as reported by Danas.

"What we need now is a new attempt by Brussels to bring both sides back to the negotiating table," Petritsch said in an interview with Demostat.

Petritsch is a former Special Representative of the European Union for Kosovo and a former High Representative of the International Community for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He also participated on behalf of the EU as a mediator in the Rambouillet talks between the Belgrade and Pristina delegations in March 1999.

At that time, on one side were Serbs, on the other, Kosovo Albanians, and the mediation was conducted by the United States, Russia, and the European Union – Christopher Hill, Boris Mayorski, and Petritsch.

Addressing the recent tragic events in the village of Banjska in northern Kosovo, he warned that confrontation would only set the region back.

"Normalization is of paramount importance because it would create conditions for economic progress. This is what people want, I am sure of it. There are too many young and talented citizens leaving their homes to emigrate to more peaceful countries like Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. But Europe wants to see prosperity, not conflict, in the former Yugoslav states. The era of wars is over. Now we need to rebuild the economy and ensure a better life for citizens," Petritsch said.

He affirmed when asked if he feared that the increase in tensions in Kosovo could escalate into an armed conflict.

"There is such a danger, but Brussels and Washington are ready to prevent any escalation. We must not return to the wars of the past," he emphasized.

Regarding who is to blame for the deteriorating security situation in Kosovo, Petritsch pointed out that in any tension, "there are always two sides."

"As an external observer, I must say that the EU needs to act more decisively and not allow the security situation to deteriorate further," he noted, adding that the international community, especially the EU and the US, must compel both sides to return to dialogue.

It is high time, he said, to implement what was agreed upon in Brussels and Ohrid.

"The Franco-German proposal remains the best roadmap for reducing tensions. I hope that Paris and Berlin will return to their role of actively supporting the EU in its efforts to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina. There is no other plan that would be successful," Petritsch stated.

Asked if international actors, such as Russia and Turkey, could exploit the current tensions in Kosovo for their own benefit, Wolfgang Petritsch assessed that there was always a risk of external actors using their destabilizing tactics to gain political points.

"This must be stopped because it is detrimental to both Serbia and Kosovo. The Western Balkans region needs to become part of the European Union; this should have happened a long time ago. What we need now is to refocus on European policy and the enlargement process for the entire region. Only within the European Union will there be more economic and social benefits for citizens," Petritsch concluded.