1. No membership without stability in Northern Kosovo: Seven recommendations on how to achieve it
- Author:
- Imke Pente
- Publication Date:
- 04-2012
- Content Type:
- Policy Brief
- Institution:
- The Kolleg-Forschergruppe (KFG)
- Abstract:
- With a three-month postponement, the European Council agreed to grant Candidate Status to Serbia in early March. This right and groundbreaking decision may yet not release Serbia from settling its relationship with Kosovo and from advancing in settling Kosovo's status. Serbia implemented the agreements of the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue held under the auspices of the European External Action Service only sluggishly. The dialogue has been subject to recurrent adjournments due to growing tensions between the conflicting parties. The fatal escalation of the customs conflict between Serbia and Kosovo in July 2011 illustrated the limbo in northern Kosovo threatening to overturn. The clear results of the referendum about the recognition of the government in Pristina held in Northern Kosovo in February 2012 constitute yet another indicator for the deadlock between the Albanian and Northern Serb communities. For the sake of stability, the EU member states must not be lenient with the status settlement question before allowing Serbia membership in the European Union.
- Topic:
- Conflict Resolution, Regional Cooperation, and Fragile/Failed State
- Political Geography:
- Europe, Kosovo, Serbia, and Balkans