Prelec: In the conditions of strained relations between Belgrade and Pristina, territorial exchange is unrealistic idea

Marko Prelec, Senior Analyst for the Balkans at the International Crisis Group, tells Kosovo Online that the idea of a territorial exchange as a solution for relations between Belgrade and Pristina was once conceivable, but today such a notion is unrealistic given the strained and almost hostile relations between the two.

"This idea is extremely delicate, and it required a very high level of mutual trust. When work was being done on it during the administration of Hashim Thaci in 2018 and 2019, it clearly didn’t get far enough. Today, something like that is almost unimaginable in the tense, and I might even say, nearly hostile relations between Belgrade and Pristina," Prelec explained.

The idea of territorial exchange was mentioned a few days ago by John Bolton, the former US National Security Advisor under former President Donald Trump, who said that the US position for some time has been the hope that Serbia and Kosovo could reach something acceptable to both sides, including a territorial exchange.

However, Prelec believes that territorial exchange is an idea that, under current conditions and in "any foreseeable future," is highly unrealistic.

"As far as I know, this is not an active topic in the United States. In Europe, there is occasional concern about it, and it seems to me that the idea that borders should no longer be changed is motivated by ideological reasons. The fact is, if there were an agreement freely and democratically chosen by both sides, there would be no reason for external objections. But I repeat, under today’s conditions, this is unimaginable, and I think it should be forgotten," Prelec concluded.