Florian Qehaja, analyst from Pristina
Generally speaking, there is no doubt that the effect of EULEX mission was limited, bringing only few results compared to the expectations and goals that mission had. The satisfaction which prevailed in the European External Action Service because of EULEX, the largest EU mission in the world, was seriously shaken by the small efficiency of the mission, told Danas Florian Qehaja, executive director of the Kosovo Centre for Security Studies in Pristina.
Qehaja points out that his evaluation of EULEX is not based on recent media reports about alleged abuses, but mainly on the general achievements of the mission. “The cases that are mentioned in the media are investigated and they further endanger the reputation of the mission,” he said.
Qehaja notes that this mission has a mandate until mid-2016, pointing out that he believes this should be the last mandate of EULEX, which “cannot forever replace the local structure of the judiciary and the police, despite the fact that the capacity of Kosovo’s institutions remains limited”.
“The idea to strengthen the capacity of institutions through missions such as EULEX is meaningless in an environment such as Kosovo, where the public has a very low opinion of the mission, whether those are Albanians or Serbs. The EULEX is supported by 20 – 25 per cent of the population. The complete withdrawal of EULEX may be partially covered by the mechanism of complaints to the EU, which could be established at the EU Office in Kosovo. That could be the last instance where citizens can seek justice, if they believe they are deprived of that right. Even in case there will be enormous number of complaints, the EU can use it as a toll to exert pressure on Kosovo institutions to strengthen the rule of law,” believes Qehaja.
