Balkan Economic Union unfavourable for Kosovo

The summit held in Trieste is part of the Berlin process, this multidimensional process. Through this process, the European Union is aiming to form a common market in the Western Balkans.

Safet Gerjaliu, chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, speaking of Radio Free Europe, stresses that this process is of economic, political and strategic importance, integration importance and improved image, but also about the issues of social stability generation through economic development.

However, according to him, Kosovo must understand that this summit is not, as he says, a <x0-scope of magic” that will solve the problems accumulated in Kosovo, but it is an opportunity that needs to be exploited.

The fact that there is close to 1 billion euros, the possibility of supporting the projects, is the first. Second, it must be understood that the donor's absorption mechanism, but also in this process, is the study of feasibility, it's a business plan, but it's rule of order and law, based on scientific expertise. Therefore, miracles should not be expected from these processes, unless we ourselves do the homework of the”, Gerjaliu says.

Avni Mazrek, professor of European Law, tells Radio Free Europe that the European Union is again considering policy and enlargement policy mechanisms in relation to the Western Balkans. According to him, looking back from the time of 2003, when the European Union had set the agenda for the Western Balkans, in 2017 it can be seen that at many points that policy has failed, to the fact that most Western Balkan countries have still remained outside the European Union.

The European Union is seeking to find a suitable form of how it would integrate the Western Balkans. Meanwhile, from Pristina's point of view, I think that Pristina has the same, open and unfinished problem, the issue of its non-recognition of its status by two Western Balkan states, as well as the issue of non-recognition by 5 European Union member states. For Kosovo it would be positive, if this status, independence for Kosovo, were recognised by these two states. After that, in any economic and political manager Kosovo would be introduced, it would be treated as an equal side”, Mazreku said.

He adds that while Kosovo's status, as an independent state, is not recognised, but is disputed by two Western Balkan countries, co-operations designed as the common market of this region are unfavourable for Kosovo.

But Gerjaliu expresses the opinion that integration processes should not be rejected by Kosovo, but that it must come up with different scenarios and alternatives.

In this direction, the Kosovar side has long had to be willing to make this economic sphere designed by Germany, meta-mitified by Austria and the style given to it in Italy, turn it into political favour. It should not mean "no," but condition and send paperwork to diplomatic offices that Kosovo is for integration processes, but only equal, meaning recognition by Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to have a normalisation of internal reports. How can we be an integral part of the European family if 5 European Union member states have not recognised Kosovo?”.

Professor Mazreek likewise expresses his opinion. According to him, Kosovo would not be wrong if it set the act of recognition by the five European Union states, as well as by the two Western Balkan countries that have not yet recognised it. As he points out, the Thessaloniki agenda stands as a condition for Western Balkan countries, building constructive neighbourly relations and mutual trust.

“E of what trust relationship we can talk about when two of these two sides, two Western Balkan states don't even know what is the constitutional category for Kosovo and what is something that has come from many historical and war developments, but also that the majority of the international community have known this independence from the context of individual states. Therefore, we just have to conduct ourselves in relation to the implementation of what the European Union sets a condition for these states”.

However, senior Kosovo state officials have already expressed enough reservations and objections regarding the idea of a regional economic union of the Western Balkans, due to the totemble failure of the free and visa circulation of Kosovo citizens in the European Union countries, as well as the non-recognition of the state of Kosovo by Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.