New Kosova Report

Kosovo: Time Has Come

Tuesday, 22 January 2008

Arlind V. Bytyqi

While Serbia is electing its president today, Kosovo Albanians have never been readier to declare their wish for secession and a declaration for independence. Kosovo’s government has stated that they are ready and that efforts are being put together for an independent Kosovar state to be announced very soon.

After the failure of negotiations between Serbs and Kosovo Albanians last year, it was obvious that independence was inevitable. However, things had to wait until after elections in Serbia.

Even though two politically different candidates are running for office, the ultranationalist Tomislav Nikolic from the Radical Party and Boris Tadic from the Democratic Party, their stances on the issue of Kosovo remain the same, stating that Kosovo is part of Serbia. Nikolic, an ally and supporter of Milosevic, has gone along with threats to those who are working for an independent Kosovar state, warning them not to touch Serbia’s borders.

So far, Nikolic seems to be leading the race for president.

Should Nikolic win the elections, Serbia threatens to fall victim of a similar ideology that brought Milosevic to power, and which led to havoc and bloodshed in Balkans in the late 90’s. In his campaign, Nikolic has declared that Serbia’s ties with Russia are way more significant than links with the European Union.

This is a unique opportunity for the Serbian people to wisely choose the path they are willing to follow. While Russia has strongly backed Serbia’s position to reject any form of independence for Kosovo, Serbs have little to gain by turning their backs on the European Union. Tadic’s pro-Western style, on the other hand, does not buy him much credit if he’s willing to go against all nations who have stated their readiness to recognize an independent Kosovo.

Kosovo, having waited enough and suppressed its peoples’ anger and frustration following several prolongations of its status definition, has a green light to formally declare independence. This is to be followed by a wide ranging recognition from major EU countries, as well as the U.S. and other countries worldwide.

Kosovo’s new government with Mr. Thaci as head plans to move towards declaring Kosovo’s majority will for an independent state in the next weeks. Now that the institutions are formed and functioning, everything seems ready for such a move. In this context, the EU claims to have made all necessary preparations for its mission to be deployed in Kosovo.

The new Prime Minister of Kosovo, Mr. Hashim Thaci, has recently remarked that Kosovo is a place of all its citizens, and that it will be the obligation of the majority to protect rights and freedoms of the minorities, with a special focus on the Serbs. Leading political figures of the Serb minority in Kosovo have stated that their focus now will be shifted from ‘listening to Belgrade’ to ‘working for the integration of Serbs’ in the institutions of Kosovo.

This period should be the time when the Balkans will awaken to a new state and a state with a new political elite. The divergences between the two will obviously be vast, but what remains important is that the new reality is accepted.

Whereas Kosovo is determined to move towards the European Union, Serbia’s choice is still to be learned. It is up to the Serbian people to decide whether Serbia belongs to the West or to the East. Giving a chance to another Milosevician will not prove to be a wise decision. In today’s ever integrating world, excessive ultra nationalism has little room for existence.

We will soon be witness to the emergence of the new Kosovar state, which will be a key political player in the region. Stability in the Balkans largely depends on the clear definition of interests of all people living there. Interests of Kosovo Albanians are similar in temperament with those of all Europeans wishing to live in peace and economic prosperity. Let us hope that today, Serbia will proclaim that they are after the same.

By Arlind V. Bytyqi