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On the occasion of the EU Summit held in Zagreb on
6 May 2020, the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
initiated a petition signed by eighty prominent public figures
calling on the participants to support pro-European forces in
Serbia, with special attention drawn to the need to address the
acute crisis concerning Kosovo.
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
strongly welcomes the EU reaffirmation of its unequivocal support
for the European perspective of the Western Balkans. We also
appreciate the recommitment of the Western Balkan partners to the
European perspective as their firm strategic choice. We fully share
the Summit’s noting that “the credibility of this commitment depends
also on clear public communication and the implementation of the
necessary reforms”.
In that regard, the HCHR in Serbia wishes to
highlight, once again, the vital role of the EU as a guarantor of
the preservation of European principles and values in the Western
Balkans. For many years, Western Balkan societies have faced the
risk posed by attempts to abandon the principles upon which the
Balkan architecture has been is built. Therefore, we would like to
draw – once again – the attention of European governments to the
need for unequivocal rejection of the latest attempts in that
direction. The active role of the EU in the next phase of the
consolidation process of Kosovo will be crucial to ensure peace and
stability in the region.
As concerns Kosovo, the EU, together with the
United States played a key role process of Kosovo becoming
independent. Majority of the EU countries have recognized Kosovo’s
sovereignty and territorial integrity within its existing borders.
The US and the EU, particularly Germany and
France, have been making efforts to integrate Kosovo and other
Balkan countries into the international community of nations,
including the membership in the EU and NATO. However, because of
geopolitical restructuring and internal policy differences that
process is currently at a stalemate. This has allowed other
international actors, such as Russia, to assert its influence in
Serbia and other states, seriously threatening state consolidation
and Euro-Atlantic orientation of the Western Balkans.
The EU initiated a political dialogue negotiation
process to resolve issues between Serbia and Kosovo related to the
consolidation and ultimate recognition of Kosovo as an independent
state. On 13 April 2013, the Brussels Agreement on normalization of
relations between the two countries was signed. Despite the
agreement, Serbia has been obstructing full consolidation of Kosovo
as a sovereign independent state. The implementation has been
stalled and negotiations have turned towards making a deal between
Serbia and a segment of Kosovo’s political elite to partition
Kosovo. Wider public in Kosovo as well as the significant part of
the political establishment have rejected the proposal.
In fact, Serbia has never given up on its project
to partition Kosovo. In that it enjoys the strong support of Russia.
The position of the United States is not clear. Macedonia and
Montenegro both categorically reject any change of borders since the
very idea directly threatens their territorial integrity and the
stabilization of post-Yugoslav regional order.
In parallel, Serbia’s international campaign
against recognition of Kosovo and the media’s demonization of
Albanians and criminalization of their liberation movement are
intensifying. And while not surprising, but no less dangerous, after
several unsuccessful attempts to involve Tirana in resolving the
issue of Kosovo, Belgrade has finally succeeded and it requires
strong condemnation.
The idea of partition of Kosovo should be
denounced as unacceptable at all levels in the EU forums and at the
level of individual European governments. Its furtherance in the
Western Balkans threatens the stability and peace in the region and
the credibility of EU commitments and support for the region. It
would be dangerous precedent for entire Europe.
In light of the direction negotiations are taking
and the danger it presents, we call on the EU to restart and
facilitate negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo within the
original dialogue framework focusing on full normalization of
relations between the two countries and the recognition by Serbia of
Kosovo’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its existing
borders. All efforts towards the goal of partition must be
resolutely rejected. The EU should also monitor implementation of
the existing Brussels Agreement and condition the support for Serbia
and Kosovo on the progress been made.
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia
strongly believes that the EU will stand firm to its values and
principles which have been indispensable in building democracy,
peace and stability in the region for the last three decades. The
advancement of those values and the further stabilization of the
region and, thus, also the strengthening of Europe’s stability and
progress, are still at stake.
The EU should also monitor implementation of the
existing Brussels Agreement and condition support for Serbia and
Kosovo on progress made.
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