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Kosovo’s worries

A Kosovar friend writes:

I believe this is where all the problems started: by the narrative that Kosovo is about to die soon as it does not have a final deal with Serbia! This is where all lobbyists for dialogue at any cost have brought the narrative, claiming that we depend on Serbia’s willingness to recognize us. They want us to devote all our energy to a deal.

Yes, dealing with Serbia is important, but not at any cost. The technical dialogue in Brussels had a perverse effect: it stopped recognition of Kosovo, as some in the international community felt they should wait for the results. The dialogue also eliminated the authentic Kosovo Serb parties who accept the Kosovo state. That was done because Serbian President Vucic in the dialogue made a lot of promises and accepted a lot of responsibilities (as he always does). It seemed to the internationals logical to allow him to have his own Kosovo Serb politicians organized in the Lista Srpska. That enables him to control even Kosovo’s internal political life.

Had we devoted our energies after the Ahtisaari plan (2007) and the International Court of Justice decision (2010) advisory opinion about our independence to a real state-building agenda, we would have been in much better position. Instead we depended on the dialogue, which solidified the impression that the Kosovo story was still unfinished. We are where we are and the world has not changed in our direction. But, still I oppose the logic that Kosovo’s future depends on Serbia’s consent.

The ingredients for success in the dialogue do not lay entirely with us. We need Washington and Brussels to have a more supportive approach. Vucic is not going to sacrifice anything for the dialogue. He wants carrots that reward Serbia. Kosovo had to play in the dialogue, as he did. But now the pending indictment of our President and other Kosovo Liberation Army leaders by the Specialist Chambers have made it far more difficult for us.

What is alternative? I am not Nostradamus. Now the situation is more difficult and more complex than ever before.
The Specialist Chambers might drag on for many years. It will damage our image and put at risk our functionality and statehood. The Kosovo political opposition thinks only of how to take power at any cost. We could even end up with two of the worst outcomes: partition without recognition. I am afraid of negative scenarios offering us only a status akin to that of Palestine or union with Albania.

I am speaking as a worried friend and I hope you understand.