Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hinted at this last month under strong European pressure. Serbia has been trying to join the European Union since 2009, but that process would be stalled if Vucic had not agreed to the Franco-German proposal according to which the two countries “will not represent or act on each other’s behalf”. Nor should Serbs prevent Kosovo from becoming a member of international organizations such as the UN and the EU.
‘Serbia must continue to follow the path of EU membership, otherwise we will be economically and politically lost’
Serbian President Vucic was forced to accept the deal last month, but has yet to make firm commitments. An interruption of the EU accession process would do “major damage” to his country, he said at a press conference on Serbian television in late January. “Serbia must continue on the path of EU membership, otherwise we will be lost economically and politically”.
European pressure
Eimert van Middelkoop was Defense Minister when Kosovo separated from Serbia fifteen years ago. He was therefore closely involved in the recognition of Kosovo, which the Netherlands does unlike some EU countries such as Spain and Greece.
“If this conflict is to be resolved, a European direction is desirable,” says Van Middelkoop. He finds it justifiable that the EU has increased the pressure. ‘These countries also have the prospect of one day joining the EU. This also gives Europe the right to take a direction in this sense.’
Trauma
Yet the Yugoslav wars that preceded Kosovar independence are best remembered by Van Middelkoop. “You can see Kosovo as the unsolved conflict of the whole implosion of Yugoslavia. There was no attention for Kosovo in the peace treaties, which is why it continued to get sick”.
Kosovo’s independence is still a trauma for many Serbs. Even now that the Serbian president wants to support this Franco-German proposal in principle, he must first find the support of the population.
The day before the 15th birthday of this youngest country in Europe, Serbian nationalists and pro-Russian activists gathered in the Serbian capital Belgrade. They threatened riots if the Serbian government actually supports this proposal.
Minority rights
Meanwhile, many Serbian minorities still live in Kosovo. In the northern city of North Mitrovica, where mainly ethnic Serbs live, the 15th anniversary of independence was therefore not celebrated.
“A solution requires good and positive leadership from Serbia and Kosovo”
Even with a possible deal, Van Middelkoop does not see the country’s problems disappearing, partly because of the Serbian minority. “Of course there are examples in Central and Eastern Europe where these kinds of conflicts have been successfully resolved,” he says.
“This requires that minorities be granted certain rights, for example language rights.” To realize this, both Kosovo and Serbia will have to step over their shadow, she thinks. “That requires good, positive leadership.”