Stokinger: Dialogue must return to the UN – Resolution 1244 remains the basis for a Kosovo settlement

David Stokinger, activist of the Austrian Peace Movement, stated in an interview with Kosovo Online that the current course of the dialogue on Kosovo’s future status under the auspices of the European Union has shown that this format has “run its course” and now serves only the interests of the authorities in Pristina. Therefore, he emphasized the need to return the negotiations to the United Nations, as Resolution 1244 remains the fundamental legal basis for any solution to the issue.

“I believe the dialogue has reached its end—its final limits—and it is clear that no solution can be reached along this path that would also be in Serbia’s interest. A solution that goes against Serbia’s interests simply cannot be viable. That is why I believe the negotiations should be returned to the UN framework, because Resolution 1244 is still the foundation of all talks concerning Kosovo’s status,” Stokinger said.

He stressed that the U.S. and the EU deliberately moved the dialogue away from the UN, fully aware that Serbia would have held a much stronger position within the UN framework than it has under EU-led mediation.

According to Stokinger, the EU’s inefficiency works solely to the benefit of Pristina’s leadership.

“This status quo primarily serves Pristina. This is evident in the unilateral measures currently being taken against Serbs, such as the banning of Serbian institutions, which only worsens their everyday lives. I believe that the EU, in its current form, has no real interest in finding a solution, because it is part of the problem,” he underlined.

When asked why more concrete reactions from the EU and the U.S. to Pristina’s unilateral actions are lacking—beyond strong-worded press releases from Brussels or embassies—Stokinger stated that this is “logical” because “Kosovo is their project.”

“The project of an independent Kosovo is their own creation. They’ve gone too far and now they can’t turn back. They’ve turned Kosovo into a massive military base that serves their geopolitical positioning in the Balkans. It’s now difficult for them to return to the principles of international law,” the activist argued.

He concluded by emphasizing the importance of respecting international law equally for all states.

“International law must apply to all countries. Every state has the right to the protection of its territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders. This must apply to all, including in today’s conflicts, and certainly to Serbia. We cannot continue applying double standards, which the Western powers have done for decades. We must return to international law and clear principles that apply equally—whether to the Americans or to any other power,” Stokinger concluded.