EU makes headway on healing Kosovo independence rift (FT/dailies)
EU governments are making progress on healing their split over recognition of Kosovo’s independence, a step that would remove a big diplomatic obstacle to integrating the former Serbian province more closely with the EU.
Cyprus, Greece and Slovakia – three of the five EU states that refused to recognise Kosovo when it declared independence from Serbia in 2008 – sent clear signals that they were reconsidering their positions when each of their foreign ministers held a meeting last month with Enver Hoxhaj, their Kosovar counterpart.
Mr Hoxhaj, after his talks with Miroslav Lajcak of Slovakia on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, tweeted that the meeting had been “fruitful and important . . . New perspectives [lie] ahead”.
For five years, the disagreement over Kosovo has been one of the most glaring examples of how difficult the EU finds it to operate a common foreign policy. But diplomats say the prospects for a partial solution started to brighten after Lady Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, brokered a deal in April between Serbia and Kosovo on settling their differences.
“Don’t expect instant announcements on this, but things are moving on the recognition front,” one EU diplomat said.
More than 100 countries recognise Kosovo’s independence, but several powerful nations do not, including Brazil, China, India and Russia.
The April accord opened the door for Serbia to begin formal negotiations on joining the 28-nation EU and for Kosovo to secure a so-called association agreement, an essential precondition for EU entry.
It also offered space for most of the five non-recognisers of Kosovo to extend diplomatic feelers towards the young state, whose population is mainly ethnic Albanian but contains a significant ethnic Serb minority. Greece and Slovakia started this process even earlier, in fact, by agreeing last year to accept passports issued by Kosovo.
Cyprus, Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Spain withheld recognition in 2008 largely because each felt it set a dangerous precedent for secession-minded national minorities in their own countries or, in Greece’s case, its close ally Cyprus, where the Turkish Cypriots proclaimed an independent state 30 years ago.
Of the five holdouts, Spain is most resistant to softening its stance, because the conservative government in Madrid is extremely sensitive to a recent surge in separatist sentiment in Catalonia.
The Kosovo question remains a divisive issue in Romania, with Traian Basescu, the president, opposed to recognition, and Victor Ponta, the prime minister, in favour. Non-recognition was originally driven, as in Slovakia, by concerns over the nation’s ethnic Hungarian minority.
Mr Lajcak is a former high-level EU representative in Bosnia-Herzegovina who knows the Balkans well and is sympathetic to the idea of recognition of Kosovo. But a move in this direction would need to begin with a reversal of a resolution passed by Slovakia’s parliament in 2007 against recognition.
Both Greece and Cyprus appreciate that recognition of Kosovo would bring them diplomatically closer to France, Germany, Italy and other eurozone countries that have supported emergency financial rescues for them since 2010.
Greece had particularly close relations with Serbia during the violent break of former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, but as Serbia draws closer to EU membership Greek policy makers see an opportunity to break the ice with Kosovo.
In Cyprus Nikos Anastasiades, the centre-right president who came to power in February, is less keen than his communist predecessor on following the Russian line on non-recognition of Kosovo. He also wants to dispel Cyprus’s image as a “single-issue state” whose policies on all EU matters are seen through the prism of the dispute between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
Kuçi: Serbia’s campaign in Kosovo will not be allowed (Koha)
The Kosovo Government’s ban on visits by Belgrade officials during the election campaign will be discussed in today’s meeting in Brussels between Baroness Catherine Ashton and prime ministers Hashim Thaçi and Ivica Dacic. Belgrade officials are expecting the Kosovo Government’s decision will change after the meeting, while the government in Pristina says it will make it clear to Dacic that he cannot enter Kosovo during the election campaign.
“We want to encourage Serbs to participate in local elections, but not to have an election campaign by Serbia in Kosovo. Kosovo’s position will be in compliance with its Constitution, the April agreement, and with the European spirit,” Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Hajredin Kuçi told the paper.
Political analysts meanwhile argue that Monday’s meeting could become tense following Pristina’s ban on visits by Dacic.
Ferati: Government acted properly (Epoka e Re)
Sadri Ferati, former Minister for Local Governance, told the paper in an interview that the Kosovo Government acted properly when it decided to ban visits by Serbian high officials during the election campaign.
“I think the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo have realized what is going on. They have seen Belgrade’s tendency to determine the winner of elections in the north. With this decision, Kosovo institutions wanted to send the message for allowing the people the freedom of choice and to prevent pressure from Belgrade,” Ferati said.
Ferati added that if the decision were to change, Pristina would first need guarantees from the international community that Serbian politicians will not try to influence the election process in the north.
Davenport: Kosovo Serbs to participate in elections! (dailies)
Michael Davenport, head of the European Union delegation in Serbia, said he is pleased that the Serbian leadership is encouraging Kosovo Serbs to participate in the November local elections in Kosovo. “This is an opportunity to elect people that will protect the interests of Kosovo citizens in the future. The failure to take part in elections is not in anyone’s interest,” he said.
Davenport also said the joint position of EU member states is to continue normalization and progress in relations between Kosovo and Serbia and to implement the Brussels agreement.
Anti-campaign in the north (Zëri)
Local elections campaign in the north has not started yet mainly as a result of intimidations and threats to the people interested in taking part. Krstimir Pantic, candidate for Mitrovica from the Srpska list said their campaign will not be aggressive and will not try to force Serb citizens to vote for it. “It is important there is a large turnout of people in elections but they will vote for whomever they think is better,” he told Serb local media.
Oliver Ivanovic from the Serbia, Democracy, Justice Civic Initiative said he will lead a campaign of small gatherings and will focus more on direct communication with citizens and TV debates. At the same time, Slobodan Petrovic’s Serb Liberal Party began the campaign by putting up posters and billboards. “Everywhere where Serbs live in Kosovo, we will organise meetings and gatherings but our campaign is door-to-door,” said Petar Miletic from SLS.
Government does not want EULEX to shut down (Tribuna)
The paper quotes Kosovo’s Justice Minister Hajredin Kuçi as saying that the Government of Kosovo is not in a race to expel the EU rule-of-law mission (EULEX). Kuçi said Pristina expects the transfer of competencies from the EU mission to local institutions. “We are working to convince the European Union on our strategy; we are not in a race to expel EULEX, but rather to take over responsibilities according to our capacities. The Government wants an agreement about the mandate of EULEX,” he added.
