Experts: Russia has toughened its commitment against Kosovo citizenship

A study of this institute points out that Russia has exacerbated its commitment to Kosovo's citizenship. Mr. Peci, the author of the study analyzing public statements, press conferences, articles and other documents published by Russian foreign policy from June 1st to August 15th this year, says the analysis clearly shows the continuation of the intention to erode the foundations of Kosovo's citizenship and Western engagement in Kosovo and the region.

“Russia is primarily interested in denigrating Kosovo's citizenship and sovereignty, as well as its legitimacy and legality, this is the main point of the Russian war against Kosovo. The second point is to try to present Kosovo as a country that oppresss its minorities, in this case especially the Serb community and the Serbian Orthodox Church. The third component concerns the crackdown on the foundations of Kosovo's statehood, trying to present it as a meth country, where crime, corruption, smuggling of all of these” flourishes, says Peci of the Voice of America.

He said that during this period of time, the writings of some Russian - born media that have published some 500 news related to Kosovo, over 19 percent of which contain deninforms.

Russia's diplomatic fight against Kosovo, he says, has deepened after signing the first agreement on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia in April 2013, when Russia signed strategic partnership with Serbia in June of the same year.

This engagement of today continues and is not really known whether Russia is needing Serbia or Serbia. It's a fusion of their interests because both sides need each other and that's not the case. I think that at the moment Serbia recognises Kosovo, Russia will not have any literal interest in the region, but as long as this situation continues, that it will try to push as much, they will benefit from instability in the region, in the courtyard of the West, and on the other hand will exploit this for benefits in their neighbourhood”, says Mr. Peci.

It draws attention that at the 76th session of the United Nations Assembly, Russia will continue to present Kosovo as open issues that must be resolved under Resolution 1244 and that Kosovo's independence is contrary to international law.

This goal, according to him, is linked to the expiration of a one-year-old moratorium defined with the Washington agreement signed on September 4th 2020 between Kosovo and Serbia, so that Serbia will not work on attracting recognitions, nor will Kosovo apply for membership to international organisations.

Security expert Nuredin Ibishi said in a conversation with the Voice of America that Russia constantly exploits Serbia and Kosovo for extending its influence in the Balkans.

This is also in its strategy for the Balkans, the Russian strategy, which has five chapters and three of them is right for Kosovo. One of those points is the issue of fragmenting Orthodoxism in the region, meaning that it wants to lose its autocephales to Orthodox churches. In other words, it uses religion besides other aspects of its evolution”, says Mr. Ibishi.

He says that besides the diplomatic level, Russia is very active in security-related issues.

When it comes to military maneuvers, it organises larger military maneuvers since the time of the former Yugoslavia, so Russian brotherhood maneuvers, with Belarus, Serbia, bordering Kosovo. Then even Serbia's combat weapons equipment, which in a sense is creating an inequality. Serbia is exploiting this on the basis of neutrality, even exploiting the possibility as it is in the phase of NATO's Partnership for Peace, but is also receiving equipment in particular from Russia and other Allied countries of Russia”, he says.

On the other hand, Mr. Peci says that failure to respond to the institutional mechanisms for confronting Russia's campaign and the lack of inter-institutional co-ordination over this issue are among the main failures of Kosovo's foreign policy.

If there are no persons who consistently follow what a state says to us, because we don't have embassies in these countries, then there can't be a real policy, since real politics is based on information. For this reason Kosovo has not built any narratives against Russia, our reactions have largely been ad hoc and without any political behind. On the other hand, there is no co-ordination between the presidency, the foreign ministry and the prime minister, never had, this is a chronic illness and includes all governments”, says Mr. Peci.

It recommends establishing a strategic communication working group that would have major commitment to confronting Russia's and Serbia's campaign, but also to other countries trying to exercise influence, such as China. /voa/