Joseph: Belgrade has greater responsibility for Kosovo situation than Pristina

Edward Joseph, talker at Johns Hopkins University in the US, said Serbia has greater responsibility for the situation in Kosovo, but also Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti must show that Serbs in Kosovo are full citizens and that the Government in Pristina respects and treats them as such.

Asked whether given the statement that the crisis between Kosovo and Serbia benefits leaders on both sides, he sees a similar situation in northern Macedonia, he said he does not compare it because the situation in northern Macedonia is completely different from that in Kosovo and Serbia.

Serbia and Kosovo are not equally responsible. They are not equally responsible for the situation. Serbia refuses to recognise Kosovo and accepts the status quo to keep Kosovo in this uncertain situation. Therefore, Serbia has greater responsibility for the situation in Kosovo than Kosovo. But of course Prime Minister Kurti has his responsibility. He should also show that Kosovo Serbs are actually full citizens of Kosovo and that the Government in Pristina respects and treats them as such”, Joseph said in an interview for the Macedonian Radio Free Europe service.

Asked how the ban or the continuation of the war in Ukraine will affect the security situation in the Balkans, he says he sees major consequences there.

We can't have this in the region. That's still unclear. There are still tensions, see between Kosovo and Serbia, the latest terrorist attack. The United States has even revealed that it was a terrible and criminal attack in Kosovo, aimed at destroying the pipeline, which affects the water supply and electricity of all Kosovo. From such threats, we see that there are actors in the region who only want a signal that Russia has returned somewhat, and the US and the EU chapter, and they agree on a similar agenda here in the region, occupying territories, dividing borders, forcing people to move and undermine the sovereignty of states, not only of Kosovo, but also of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Therefore, it would be very dangerous to have such surrender to Putin”, Joseph added.