Kosovo must revive the policy of recognition

Altin Gjeta 

Within a period of two weeks, the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has warned that the possibility of an open conflict with Serbia is a real danger. Contrary to the initial predictions after the Russian aggression in Ukraine, the international community's attention to the Western Balkans, and Kosovo in particular, has not known any substantial change. In this context, the prime minister of Kosovo is ringing the alarm bell to turn the attention of the western factor from Kosovo, which has been isolated internationally, without visa liberalization with the EU, and without new recognition since 2020, when it was recognized by Israel thanks to the Washington agreement. 

Getting out of isolation requires that Kosovo, in addition to the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia, revive the policy of increasing recognition, in a favorable international context after Russia's kneeling in Ukraine. 

Although the dialogue remains important, joining the Brussels dialogue as if it were a "golden bullet" for the citizenship of Kosovo, at a time when for more than a decade it has not reached the final goal, mutual recognition with Serbia, would be a mistake strategic for Kosovo.

The dialogue, in addition to producing controversial agreements such as the creation of the Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority, has spent a lot of energy on Kosovo and kept the issue of its citizenship open. It is already clear that Brussels' diplomacy of ambiguity and small steps do not address Kosovo's urgent need to become an integral part of the community of states and international organizations. Even after Serbia's soft approach towards Russia, the West's policy remains on the idea of ​​anchoring Serbia in the Western bloc. This intention was made clear in a recent interview for the Atlantic Council, the US Ambassador in Belgrade, Christopher Hill, who emphasized that our policy is to turn Serbia towards the West.

Therefore, one cannot expect an energetic policy of pressure from the USA and the EU towards Serbia. The Albanian factor must understand that American policy does not revolve around him, but around geostrategic interests in a broader context than the Balkans.  

In addition, Kosovo's foreign policy should revive the recognition policy at a time when Serbia is internationally tainted for not imposing sanctions on Russia. Moreover, Russia, Serbia's most important ally at the UN and in international relations, is mired in the Ukrainian conflict and stands weaker than ever in the international arena. 

This is a critical moment that should be used by Kosovo's foreign policy in two ways:

First, by lobbying the Western factor and the states that have not recognized it, for increasing recognition in the international arena. For example, the rapprochement with Greece is a positive example that can pave the way for new acquaintances. 

Second, by discrediting the image of Serbia as a state that committed genocide in the Balkans, that poses a danger to the peace and stability of the region and does not follow the Western policy of sanctions against Russia.

In order to increase recognition and strengthen its citizenship, Kosovo should learn from its not-too-distant history. 

After the liberation of the country by international NATO troops in 1999, the international factor delayed the final status resolution for about eight years. According to the researcher of the Balkans, James Ker-Lindsay, this was probably the biggest mistake of the West in Kosovo. At a time when Russia, Russia's only significant ally, had just emerged from the dissolution of the Soviet Union and was mired in economic crisis and uncertain in the international arena, the West, at the height of its power, did not act quickly in Kosovo, in order to impose Kosovo's independence and citizenship at an internationally favorable moment. 

After twenty years, with Russia's hands busy in Ukraine and Serbia discredited as its only ally in Europe, it is time for Kosovo's foreign policy to be pragmatic, visionary, and dynamic. Without visible progress in the Brussels dialogue process, Pristina must recalibrate its foreign policy towards new recognitions.