Kosovo applies for EU candidate status

Kosovo officially applied for EU membership last week. The main obstacle on its path to joining the bloc is the fact that five EU countries do not recognise it as an independent state. Neighbouring Serbia continues to assert territorial claims and recently threatened to deploy troops to Kosovo. What is the next step for the country?

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Der Standard (AT) /

They can only count on the US

In view of the threat posed by Serbia, Kosovo wants to make its voice heard by the EU, writes Der Standard:

“The Kosovars already learned in the 1990s that they can only rely on the US. This was demonstrated once again in recent weeks when violence by militant Serb nationalists increased in northern Kosovo and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić even threatened to invade. ... The clarity of the US is so important because Serbia concluded a cooperation agreement with Moscow as recently as September. Western diplomats fear that Vučić's escalation policy in northern Kosovo could have been part of a deal with the Kremlin, especially since the Russian paramilitary Wagner Group announced a few days ago that it had opened a centre in Serbia.”

Helsingin Sanomat (FI) /

On the right path

Serbia should finally recognise Kosovo's independence, Helsingin Sanomat demands:

“Kosovo is a pawn in the great game being played by others. Kosovo's independence is supported by Nato, the US and the EU - even if five member states still don't recognise it. Serbia, which questions Kosovo's independence, is supported by Russia. ... Kosovo's road to membership is long, but the EU must show the young state that the door is open and that it is on the right path. ... The EU does not want Serbia to distance itself from the West. By recognising Kosovo's independence, Serbia would open many doors in the Balkans - also for itself.”

Diena (LV) /

Another precedent

Diena comments:

“Belgrade's recognition of Kosovo would, if at all, only influence the feelings of European pro-separatists, and even then it is not always clear in which direction. ... Not only will such a solution not change the position of non-Western countries, especially Russia, regarding the recognition or non-recognition of various other separatists and insurgents, but on the contrary, it will set another precedent with consequences that are difficult to predict. In any event, the case of Kosovo is much more complex and far-reaching than it would seem at first glance.”