Kosovar Foreign Enver Hoxhaj at the DGAP: “Without Kosovo, Europe will remain incomplete”
The long-term goal of EU accession was the theme repeated throughout the event. Enver Hoxhaj let there be no doubt as to his country’s intentions of joining the Union. European integration will bring peace and stability to the Balkans. Until now, independent Kosovo has “only shared the blue sky” with Europe. Hoxhaj gave no illusions regarding how long accession will take. 20 years have already passed since the collapse of Yugoslavia, so one must think in terms of generations – “But how long should it take? 20 or 40 more years?”
With the help of Europe and its values, Kosovo hopes to fully complete the process of state formation. 2012 could become the country’s “European year,” and they hope to discuss visa liberalization and take steps toward an association agreement with the EU, especially in light of the fact that all other West Balkan countries have already signed similar agreements with the Union. Kosovo recognizes itself as a multiethnic state. “Minorities already enjoy rights today like nowhere else in Europe.”
The opportunity for an exchange of territory with Serbia in order to overcome the conflict with its neighbor was met with a sharp rebuff from Hoxhaj. Border changes are no longer a question in the Balkans. His government is much more focused on dialogue. The integration of Kosovar Serbs has already been successful in the south of Kosovo. 90 percent of the provisions found in the Ahtisaari Plan, which is credited with playing a central roll in the protection of minorities, have already been implemented.
Struggling for Recognition
Kosovo must be considered “a geopolitical reality” in the Balkans, said Hoxhaj. Since the land declared independence almost four years ago, 86 countries have recognized Kosovo. However, five of the 27 EU member states have not yet done so (Spain, Greece, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovakia). British Labour MP Denis MacShane regards this as a substantial weakness of European foreign policy. He described the Kosovo problem as “Europe’s forgotten question” and advocated for the EU’s re-engagement in the Western Balkans. MacShane pointed out that the key to more countries recognizing Kosovo’s independence lies in Madrid, and he expressed hope that the new Spanish government would bring itself to change course.
Roderich Kiesewetter, a member of the CDU caucus in the German Bundestag, sees the other key to recognition in Belgrade. Kiesewetter suggested a new European security initiative for the Western Balkans in which EUFOR and KFOR could be placed under the umbrella of an EU Balkan coordination team. Host Paul Freiherr von Maltzahn, Executive Vice President of the DGAP, said that the evening proved that Kosovo has not been forgotten, and the DGAP plans to continue its series of events on the Balkans.
