The influence of the statements made after the meeting of the leaders of the European Union with those of the Western Balkans is considered ineffective by those familiar with political issues. According to them, it was necessary to work more with the EU in terms of changing the approach to Kosovo. Of the 16 conclusions that the leaders agreed to in Wednesday’s meeting, in one of them, Kosovo and Serbia are specifically mentioned and the obstacles they have due to the lack of normalization
The non-normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia will hinder these countries in their journey towards integration into the European Union, says one of the conclusions of the EU Summit with the Western Balkans. Among other things, in the Brussels statement, there is a call for the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries, especially the one of last year.
“The lack of normalization of relations between Pristina and Belgrade is hindering both partners. The agreements reached in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue mediated by the EU must be implemented, in particular the Agreement on the Road to Normalization and its Annex. The EU recalls that a prerequisite for support within the framework of the Reform and Growth Instrument for the Western Balkans is that the parties engage in a constructive manner with measurable progress and tangible results in the normalization of their relations”, it is stated in the conclusion of the 14- of the statement with 15 sosh.
President Vjosa Osmani expressed reservations about it a day ago, but she also revealed her views on the discussions at the summit on Thursday.
“Kosovo’s future in the EU is inevitable and remains a daily commitment for us; If the principle of meritocracy is respected, as it is proclaimed, then we must move forward with concrete steps in this journey, starting with the immediate treatment of our application for membership and the removal of the measures against Kosovo, which are unfair and non-European; There can be no successful integration of the countries of the Western Balkans if peace and security are constantly endangered. Therefore, Serbia’s accountability for the ongoing acts of aggression against Kosovo is key; Despite the challenges, Kosovo does not give up on integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, because above all, this is the will of our people”, Osmani wrote on Facebook. However, analyst Dritëro Arifi is not seeing the effect of such statements. According to him, it was necessary to work more with the European Union in terms of changing the approach to Kosovo.
“Sometimes the EU’s foreign policy in relation to Kosovo, we say conditionally, is almost the same as that of Russia, and this has not changed, unfortunately. There had to be an evolution of foreign policy for Kosovo to be seen as a partner country, which means that there would have to be an internal debate in the EU for Kosovo to be recognized by the five countries that do not recognize it, that it no longer makes sense this policy. It is meaningless after the war in Ukraine when everything has changed”, he said.
Commenting on the content of the Brussels declaration, as well as the demands towards Kosovo and Serbia, Arifi says that this is expected, as according to him, it is a result of the approach that the EU has had towards Kosovo.
“The EU’s world view on Kosovo is still as if it was the year before 2008 and this is absurd, knowing that a lot has changed, not only in Kosovo, but especially after the war in Ukraine, policies and world views on foreign policy have changed. and the EU was neither aware nor ready to change this approach”, he said. Arifi estimates that the time has come for Kosovo to develop a dialogue with the European Union regarding the achievement of recognition of the states that have not done so, in order to change the approach of the EU’s foreign policy towards Kosovo.
Likewise, in the Brussels Declaration, agreed upon after the EU-Western Balkans summit, the bloc welcomed “the determination of the Western Balkans partners to respect and commit to the essential European values and principles, in accordance with international law and the reaffirmed commitment to the priority of democracy, fundamental rights and values and the rule of law”.
In this statement, it is requested that the states of the Western Balkans implement the necessary reforms in aspects such as the rule of law, freedom of expression, gender equality, independent media.
“The EU also calls on partners to guarantee the rights and equal treatment of persons belonging to minorities. We will continue to support the efforts of our partners to fight organized crime and corruption,” the statement said. The EU has said that it is committed to bringing the Western Balkans closer to it, while adding that the Growth Plan has the potential to double economic growth in the region over the next decade.
