Kosovo – kakav nered
Imajući u vidu bujicu loših vesti koje tokom poslednjih nedelja pristižu sa Kosova, jedini put napred je ponovni pokušaj međunarodne zajednice da ostvari političko rešenje, ovoga puta direktno sa Beogradom.
The Western Balkans in 2010 – small improvements, big scandals
Though the prospect of EU candidate status spurred on some very real changes in the region in 2010 - particularly concerning regional co-operation and tackling corruption - several scandals, especially those in Kosovo, threaten to inhibit further progress.
Kosovo – alternativna rešenja za sever
Iako je na severu Kosova u poslednje vreme bilo relativno mirno, sa iznimkom nekoliko manjih incidenata, prisutna je sumnja da se ova situacija može održati bez daljiih sputavanja i mogućeg političkog rešenja zasnovanog na jednom od dve alternative - specijalnoj autonomiji za sever ili podeli.
Kosovo chooses its future course
The outcome of Kosovo's first general elections since declaring independence will be key to determining Pristina’s willingness to engage constructively in forthcoming talks with Serbia.
Kosovo – the alternatives for the North
Though northern Kosovo has been relatively calm of late, albeit with a series of minor incidents, it is doubtful that this situation can persist without continued restraint and an eventual political solution based upon one of two alternatives - special autonomy for the north or partition.
Forwards or backwards? – assessing the EU's enlargement agenda
A selection of key findings from the 2010 progress reports for Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM), Kosovo (under UNSCR 1244/99), Montenegro and Serbia.
EU accession and peacebuilding
Extracts from a report on a recent seminar, entitled ‘EU accession and peacebuilding’, organized by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), which took place in Belgrade on 28-29th September 2010.
Kosovo – the Ahtisaari plan redux
The Ahtisaari plan - or something like it - will have to be part of any practical arrangement for the north of Kosovo, with the international community possibly taking the place of Pristina in the Plan's implementation.
Kosovo i Ahtisarijev plan Reduks
Ahtisarijev plan - ili nešto slično tome - će morati biti deo bilo kakvog praktičnog rešenja za sever Kosova, uz mogućnost da međunarodna zajednica preuzme ulogu Prištine u sprovođenju Plana.
Time to end the appeasement of Serbia
Instead of entertaining the idea of territorial exchanges between Serbia and Kosovo, the international community should make mutual co-existence, human rights and anti-racism the basis of its intervention in the region.
Kosovo – the ICJ speaks
The International Court of Justice's ruling has found Kosovo's declaration of independence to be neither legal nor illegal, but that international law contains no applicable prohibition of such declarations.
Kosovo – “a struggle over who gets the north”
An interview with Gerard Gallucci, the former UN Regional Representative in Mitrovica, in which he discusses the impending International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the legality of Kosovo's declaration of independence and its implications for the future of the disputed territory, particularly the north of Kosovo.
Kosovo – the European Parliament's resolute message
Though most coverage focused upon its call for the remaining five EU member states to recognize Kosovo's independence, the European Parliament's resolution highlights a number of important areas of reform where further progress is urgently required.
Energy security and ethnic conflict – challenges in the Western Balkans
Energy security and stability in the Western Balkans faces two major challenges - the perception and implication of Russia's presence in Serbia, plus the enduring crisis of Kosovo's status.
Kosovo – is the United States inciting violence in the North?
Tacit and explicit US support for Pristina's unilateral approach to the north of Kosovo has fueled an already volatile situation, contributing to an increase in tensions and acts of provocation that threaten further violent confrontations similar to that of July 2nd.
Kosovo – moderation in Mitrovica
The result of local elections in Northern Mitrovica suggests a shift towards more moderate voices that may help facilitate constructive dialogue between Kosovo Serbs and Pristina.
Thinking beyond the crisis? Greece and the Balkans
Recent developments – particularly a proposal to recognize Macedonia as the ‘Republic of Vardar Macedonia’ - have demonstrated that, contrary to the fears of some, the debt crisis will not impede Greece’s capacity for resolving regional disputes.
Kosovo – divisible sovereignty
Side-stepping the sovereignty issue and avoiding partition requires increased autonomy for the Serbs north of the Ibar and some form of role for Serbia vis-à-vis the southern Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church.
The way forward? Grassroots diplomacy in the southern balkans
Grassroots involvement in conflict transformation is key to overcoming the prejudice and mistrust that lies at the centre of many of the current problems facing the southern Balkans.
Kosovo – no return?
In light of recent protests, the international community and the Kosovo authorities must do more to ensure the sustainable return of Serbs and other non-Albanian minorities to Kosovo.
Kosovo – what to do with the north, ad interim
The international community will need to find a more comprehensive approach to the north of Kosovo, acceptable to the majority Serbs, that can serve in the interim to help normalize daily life there whilst the status issue remains unresolved.
Russia’s Balkan plan
Russia's re-emergence in the Balkans – thanks, in part, to financial loans, energy investments and the provision of emergency relief – could leave Serbia in the middle of a conundrum as the region itself increasingly becomes a point of contestation between the West and Russia.
The EU should offer more than just a box of chocolates
Speeding-up the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU will require the creation of new momentum through greater financial investment and the deployment of individuals with significant political and diplomatic clout.
No selective neutrality
Calls for a referendum in Serbia on NATO membership are motivated not by a desire for an open and transparent debate on the issue of collective security, but by narrow political interests.
Montenegro – in between Serbia and Kosovo
Montenegro must tread carefully in order to resolve its outstanding issues with Serbia and Kosovo, with the latter required to fulfill three key conditions – border demarcation, the sustainable return of displaced persons and recognition of the ethnic Montenegrin community - before full diplomatic relations will be established.
