More than two decades after a deadly war between Kosovo independence rebels and Serbian troops, Belgrade refuses to recognize the independence declared in 2008 by the former province.
Progress, but no agreement yet. The leaders of Kosovo and Serbia on Saturday, March 18, failed to sign a text on the normalization of their relations, which have remained complicated since the end of the war in 1999. It must be said that Serbia refuses to recognize the independence declared in 2008 by the former province, whose population of 1.8 million, mostly of Albanian descent, includes a Serb community of about 120,000 people.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic met on Saturday for twelve hours of negotiations on the shores of Lake Ohrid, in North Macedonia, led by the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell. Westerners have increased pressure on Belgrade and Pristina in recent months to prevent a possible outbreak of tensions in the fragile Balkan region as war rages in Ukraine.
The meeting in Ohrid came after talks broke down in Brussels last month, where an 11-article European peace plan was unveiled more than two decades after a deadly war between Kosovo independence rebels and Serbian forces. Brussels wanted the agreement of both parties on an annex to implement this European proposal.
Josep Borrell congratulated the press that the two camps had accepted the annex in question, but admitted that Belgrade and Pristina had gone less far than hoped. “The parties could not find a mutually acceptable solution as ambitious as the one we proposed”he told the press.
Ongoing tensions
The European proposal stipulates that the two camps will not use violence to resolve their differences. The draft would lead to de facto recognition between Belgrade and Pristina as it provides for the two sides “shall mutually recognize their respective national documents and symbols”. That is also in the text “Serbia will not oppose Kosovo joining an international organization”, an important request from Pristina, who wants to join the UN in particular. At the same time, he proposes granting “an appropriate level of self-management” for the Serbian minority in Kosovo.
The question of Kosovo remains an obsession for some of the 6.7 million Serbs, who consider the area their national and religious cradle, where crucial battles have been fought over the centuries. Thousands of people demonstrated in Belgrade on Friday at the call of nationalist parties to reject a deal they say would amount to a “capitulation”.
In Kosovo, many members of the Serbian minority refuse all loyalty to Pristina, encouraged by Belgrade. Especially in the north of the territory, near the border with Serbia, is the scene of frequent clashes, demonstrations and sometimes violence.