Hoxhaj: Serbia is behaving with Balkan states like Russia to its neighbours

In the conference discourse panel, organised by the Octapus Institute, the deputy head of the Assembly, deputy PDK, Enver Hoxhaj, has spoken of the Ukrainian war, Russian influence in Europe and Kosovo, as well as Serbia's behaviour to its neighbours.

“Peace was the norm, and the war was seen as a long-standing madness in Europe. With the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, war has unfortunately become a legacy of our time! One time we have believed in the unfaithfulness of war, today sadly it can be spoken of inevitability! This is about the time in which we live, which is not only uncertain and treacherous but completely unpredictable! Today, it is clear as soon as we read reports of Iran's unjust attacks on Israel on the Gaza war, but also about the war in Ukraine.”, Hoxhaj said.

His speech on the panel, Hoxhaj has distributed it on his Facebook page.

The one thing is right and right: that the war in Ukraine geopolitically re-elected the West, becoming a political, diplomatic, military and economic support! I've been waiting for more Western support for Ukraine, which I hope will see after the U.S. elections, which will produce a stronger America in a few weeks! I expect that with the new European Commission, but also with stronger Germany next year, after the elections there!” has said Hoxhaj.

But one thing is dangerous: that the war in Ukraine was also used for reawakening hegemone ambitions in the Balkans! The biggest problem the region has is Serbian hegemonia and threats to Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Serbia continues to pursue hegemonistic ambitions in the Balkans, challenging the sovereignty of Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia through political interference, destabilizing efforts, hybrid war and support for radical and criminal groups in these countries. Criminal and paramilitary groups were the ones intended to put a stamp on the Montenegrin government, similar to the aggression in Banjska last year with Serbia's multiple support. Another problem that is related to the first one is Serbia's western leadership policy.”, Hoxhaj said in his speech.

The West's “dating, often favouring Serbia's domestication, fails to cope with these destabilising actions. This policy encourages Serbia's aggressive behaviour by undermining Kosovo's hard-earned sovereignty, but also that of Montenegro and Bosnia! The West has built a European order in the Balkans with a map of independent states where Montenegro in 2006 and Kosovo in 2008 were last, following a policy of principles and red lines! Where are today's red west lines for Serbia? Another issue that we have in the Balkans is the status quo policy, which leads to political degradation and even progress. This has to do with the impact the EU and NATO inaction: lack of concrete EU enlargement and the lack of NATO membership for Kosovo and other Balkan states have created a security vacuum. This has allowed foreign powers such as Russia to exert influence and further destabilise the region, which today is greater than thought when the war in Ukraine began. “, Hoxhaj said.

“Today, Serbia behaves in the Balkans towards their neighbours the same as Russia, with the only difference that Serbia is the bastion of Russian influence, the same length of Russia in the region! Since Russian intervention in the Balkans, using Serbia as a representative, remains a serious threat to peace and security, promoting anti-Western ravages and promoting ethnic tensions, this issue can be addressed through structured policy! Such a policy should be a continuation of strengthening Kosovo's citizenship through full international recognition and NATO membership, which is essential to maintaining regional security and opposing external threats, especially in light of Europe's developing security challenges. For the strengthening of citizenship, Montenegro itself, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Northern Macedonia! Since stalled European integration and Kosovo face a lack of substantial progress in EU integration and other key reforms stalled, a growing political disappointment is taking place, increasingly visible economic stagnation and increasingly massive migration of youth towards the EU, but other Western countries! The Russian aggression towards Ukraine has exposed weaknesses in Europe's security architecture, but the EU today needs to put even more of it as a priority and necessarily a greater integration of the Western Balkans into NATO and the EU to prevent similar aggression. “, Hoxhaj said.

For Kosovo and other states, regional co-operation and stability are important. It is an urgent need for greater regional co-operation and the construction of stability among the pro-Balkan states of the Western Balkans to counter these destabilising forces and protect the region's sovereignty and stability! For Kosovo it is important to get not only Western support, which is vital but also public support of peoples in the region, of the character and nature of Kosovo's citizenship, of the territorial integrity, sovereignty, democracy and multiethnic and unitary nature of Kosovo. ”