The president versus international friends, what can Kosovo lose?

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci is taking a very severe course of political rhetoric in comparison with the European Union's approach to Kosovo, in particular to conditioning visa liberalisation and integration processes.

These days, Thaci has criticised the European Commission, labeling it unfair to set the condition for ratification of border demarcation with Montenegro with the visa liberalisation process for Kosovo. According to him, such an approach to Brussels affects the fluctuation of confidence Kosovo citizens have in the European Commission.

For these statements, but also the ongoing criticism of President Thaci towards the EU, political analysts in Pristina differ.

Analyst Agron Bajrami, editor-in-chief of the newspaper “Koha Ditore”, tells Radio Free Europe, that the president in that form, criticising him, is trying to avoid his responsibility and has on citizens regarding visa liberalisation, or other issues.

The “They [declarations] clearly appear to be Mr. Thaci's attempt to wash his hands out of the responsibilities he himself has had in reaching agreements, namely with the European Union, with reconciliation about the conditions for visa liberalisation. Let's not forget that demarcation as a condition has been placed on the list of conditions with government reconciliation, in which Thaci was originally prime minister and later deputy prime minister and foreign minister. I think this is unfair and unwarranted so as to try to avoid responsibility”, Bajrami says.

Bajrami says that at the time conditions for visa liberalisation that have not existed for other states were raised by civil society, but not by Thaci and other institutions officials.

We haven't heard either Mr. Thaci or others react or agree to those criticisms, but they have accepted conditions and moved on. And now I believe it's a bit hypocritical this way of criticism that the president does in the direction of the European Union”, Bajrami points out.

He adds that critical statements and confrontation with the EU cannot bring about a change of approach and policies from the European Union against Kosovo.

The opposite could only happen because the EU has not unilaterally established these conditions. Such confrontational approach will only irritate, I say, not only Mr Thaci's or Presidency reports with the EU, but all Kosovo institutions with the EU”, Bajrami estimates.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has declared that the European Commission is focused only on Serbia and is concerned only about Serbia, but not the other Western Balkan states as well.

“The EU needs leadership when integration and enlargement policies” are being questioned, Thaci had said.

Meanwhile, analyst and editor-in-chief of the daily “The New Age”, Muhamet Mavray, agrees that the European Union is showing double standards when it comes to Kosovo and its integration path.

“You are seeing the European Union's positions with other states, especially with neighbouring states, and in this case specifically with Serbia, and you are seeing the procrastination that is made to Kosovo through continued criteria, and in particular with these latest criteria for demarcation, as condition for visa liberalisation”, Mavrej says.

Mavraj underlines that with the criticism of President Thaci's making, Kosovo does not lose anything, nor can it win, but, as he emphasises, the visa liberalisation issue must be reconsidered.

So, I don't think Kosovo loses anything with the criticism Thaci makes, but I know it doesn't make much. Such criticisms are not delayed, nor do they do harm, but I also think that their continued repetition and non-conception by the European Union makes us unserious”, Mavray says.

Kosovo remains the most isolated country in Europe. The movements of Kosovo citizens through EU countries undergo long and difficult visa-taking procedures. As long as Kosovo's EU integration prospects remain unclear, because five EU member states do not recognise it as a state.

Political analysts and European integration connoisseurs have confirmed that Brussels has left Kosovo behind, giving visible priority to Serbia's integration, what has affected the rise of frustration in Kosovo.

However, President Thaci has voiced confidence that Kosovo's European perspective is clear, but has asked European Union officials to see Kosovo with the eye of success.