Special Empowerment Could Block Kosovo's EU Integration

The Special Court's weakening could lead to freezing Kosovo's EU integration perspective, warns the chairman of the Southeast European Parliamentary Group in Bundestag, CDU deputy Stephan Albanian.

Deutsche Walle: Kosovo seems to be stuck currently, progress towards the EU is slow, visa liberalisation does not, unemployment catches high numbers. In this context, the Berlin Process is viewed as a real hope. What new impulses can be expected by the new German government when it is created?

Stephan Albanian: I was very happy and happy to hear Chancellor Merkel since drawing up the key points ahead of this legislature at the Christian Democrat faction meeting cited Balkan integration and Balkan support on the road to the EU as very basic and extensive. But I wanted to point out that this is like a 100-footer, at the end of it is European integration, not after 90 meters, not after 80 meters, but after 100 meters. We can help people in the Balkans, namely, in Kosovo towards this road so that it can travel faster, the readiness is needed, but the 100-foot road is not to be cut short.

The issue of abolishing the Special Court after the initiative of 43 Kosovo deputies still revolves around Kosovo politics, despite international warnings, efforts continue. How do you judge this effort?

Stephan Albanian: Not so positive. But it seems to me that, meanwhile, from their side, the warnings from the international community are very clear about it. This is not the right way for Kosovo and has massively cost Kosovo sympathy and has politically damaged it.

But if the process continues and work comes to the abolition, what awaits Kosovo?

Stephan Albanian: Of course, it would be a step in a completely wrong direction. On all sides, there is an effort to give Kosovo a perspective in the direction of Europe, and if the job could reach this far, it would isolate Kosovo, I am relatively sure that the outlook towards the EU would have consequences, and if the situation requires this perspective could even freeze.

The media read that on the list of people who can be tried are also known figures in Kosovo politics. Can you ask why the international community has been cooperating so long, when there have been such shadows?

What does cooperation mean? When negotiations or negotiations take place, those on the other side are once for all. I don't personally know any concrete accusations, and I don't want to speculate.

Do you think certain arrests could lead to the loss of calm in Kosovo?

I am confident that Kosovo authorities will ensure that the Special Court will continue to carry out the respective duties of a legal state unhindered.

Following Serbian politician Oliver Ivanovic's assassination, there are Serbian voices that extremist circles or Serb mafia could be concealed after the murder. Kosovo's north has fallen into a state of lawlessness, where neither Pristina nor internationals have control?

I don't want to speculate further, according to the motto what happens if things get any worse, it doesn't help. What is elementary is legal dawning, finding authors to be brought to justice, is important not only how Kosovo is viewed in the world, but for peace in the country and ultimately to be brought forward by the normalisation process between Kosovo and Serbia.

Dialogue was again interrupted following Ivanovic's assassination, another obstacle to normalisation. How specifically can Germany influence him to be young and both sides live up to the agreements?

I'm very unhappy myself. I have a year and a half as chairman of the Southeast European parliamentary group in Bundestag, I see that the normalisation process is not moving forward...

Where do you see the obstacles?

The obstacles are those, on the one hand on paper, described and said the things to be done, but they are not implemented, so they do not make these decisions their own. Germany will play its role for the EU to continue to engage more and more strongly so that the normalisation process will move forward not only on paper but also on implementation in practical policy, that these decisions will be lived on -- namely, when we talk about legal state processes -- on the issue of the demarcation line with Montenegro. I have met several Kosovo delegations and made it clear that they must make sure that the government and opposition do their job properly, that parliamentary processes become a reality and ultimately the normalisation of relations, not only on paper but also in mind and practice.

A central topic in Kosovo is visa liberalisation. When can the way open for this?

Visa liberalisation is directly linked to the normalisation process, but especially with resolving the demarcation issue with Montenegro. What has disappointed me was that by the government this deal was approved, but has not been ratified in parliament. This has to be done.

Stephan Albanian is German Christian Democrat parliamentary and chairman of the parliamentary group for Southeast Europe in Bundestag.