Petritsch: Kosovo away from long-term stability, ambitious strategy, sincere commitment with minorities

The European Union's former special envoy for Kosovo, Wolfgang Petritsch, has praised Kosovo's achievements in the socioeconomic plan, but has stressed that the country still remains far from the level that would ensure long-term stability.

In a statement for Radio Free Europe, Petritsch has said that the real challenge for Kosovo is creating conditions for the new generation to see the future within the country, not outside it.

Many Kosovars are forced to seek their welfare abroad”, he has indicated.

Petritsch expects an ambitious economic strategy, harmonised with the European Union agenda, to strengthen the country's sovereign autonomy.

It links economic development with political and social sustainability, implying that structural reforms and clear orientation towards European standards are essential for Kosovo's future.

One of Petritsch's strongest warnings relates to what he calls the “end of the transatlantic era”, stressing that this has direct implications for Kosovo's report to the United States, which he describes as “cliter and the country's long-term defence”.

When Kurdish freedom fighters are abandoned by the US in Iraq, or when Palestinians are farther away than ever from their state, we must remind ourselves that the United States and Europe went to war to ensure Kosovo's survival and its final independence”, Petritsch has declared.

According to him, this contains a lesson and an obligation for Kosovo: to become a respected member of the community of European democratic states.

In its assessment, Kosovo must sincerely engage with minorities, especially with the Serb community in the north, as well as secure a functional and effective government after a long period of democratic uncertainty.

This would turn Kosovo into an adult European state”, Petritsch has finished.