euro|topics - Kosovo's future in the ballot box

Main focus of Friday, November 16, 2007

Kosovo's future in the ballot box

Legislative and council elections are being held on November 17th in Kosovo. This vote is taking place three weeks before the expiration of the time fixed by the international community to try and define the future status of Kosovo. If current negotiations fail, Kosovar authorities have announced that they will proclaim unilateral independence.

The Guardian - United Kingdom

"Belgrade has opened a dangerous new front in the struggle over the province's future", notes Simon Tisdall. "Twelve years after a war that cost 100,000 lives ... the Bosnian nightmare is returning to haunt the chancelleries of Europe Serbia's Russian-backed nationalist Prime minister, Vojislav Kostunica, spelled it out last week: 'Preserving Kosovo and the Serb Republic [the north-eastern half of Bosnia-Herzegovina] are now the most important goals of our state and national policy.' Recent developments in Kosovo and Bosnia posed 'an open threat to the essential interests of the Serb people'. Disturbed by scary echoes of Slobodan Milosevic's 'Greater Serbia' policy, western diplomats are scrambling to hold the line with Belgrade. ... Adding to the urgency, the mandate for the EU's peacekeeping force in Bosnia expires on November 21." (13/11/2007)

Le Temps - Switzerland

For Chris Patten, co-president of the International Crisis Group (ICG) and former European Commissioner for External Relations, "after December 10th, [deadline fixed by the UN for an agreement between Serbs and Kosovars], the die will be cast. At the beginning of 2008, we will probably see a unilateral declaration of independence in Pristina. It will be recognised by twenty-two EU members ... but not by four or five other European countries. This division in the heart of Europe is very worrying. ... Romantic tendencies and irrational fears aside, post December 10th remains hazy. Yes it would have been ideal if the UN Security Council had approved the Ahtisaari plan, but alas this is not the case. To avoid growing instability on its borders, the EU has no other choice than to accept the inevitable declaration of Pristina's independence and prepare to deal with the new European member." (15/11/2007)

La Libre Belgique - Belgium

Jean-Arnault Dérens, Chief Editor of the French website 'Le Courrier des Balkans' (The Balkan Mail), underlines Kosovo's deplorable economic situation, while "economic and social issues have been remarkably absent from the election campaign, which has been dominated by the question of Kosovo's 'final status'. Most of the Albanian parties are happy to repeat that independence will resolve all of the problems. ... The eventual independence will not sort everything out. On the contrary, one of the first treaties independent Kosovo will have to sign will be a readmission agreement, allowing the expedition from western countries of migrants in illegal situations. ... In these conditions, Kosovo represents a real 'social time bomb', which may well explode all the sooner if the emigration 'pressure valve' is shut off again." (16/11/2007)

Delo - Slovenia

Borut Grgic, director of the Institute for Strategic Studies in Ljubljana, emphasises Slovenia's importance for Kosovo. "Slovenia must make a resolute effort to reduce Russia's counterproductive influence in the region. To this end, next year Slovenia [which will hold the rotating EU presidency] should make it clear to Russia that it should not interfere in the region's politics. The Balkans are an EU problem. The sooner Europe offers the region a timetable for EU membership, the sooner Russia will back down. ... Kosovo holds its elections this weekend. Until now the election campaign has been democratic and there's no reason to suppose that it will end otherwise. This example of democracy in the Balkans could be one of Europe's shining moments in the region. Now Slovenia must ensure that Europe consolidates this success." (16/11/2007)

» To the complete press review of Friday, November 16, 2007

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