Isolated Europeans

After many pledges of support and a donors’ conference, it is hard for Kosovars not to feel a sense of abandonment from their allies. First, there were the unnecessary concessions given to Serbia in order to get it to agree to deploy the EU Rule of Law Mission (EULEX) in the Serb-majority northern Kosovo. Then, there was the lack of progress in including Kosovo in the visa liberalization process. This was coupled with the inclusion of Serbia in the white Schengen list and a general lack of will on the part of EU to deal with Serbia’s aggressive foreign policy regarding Kosovo. And now to top it all off, it is becoming more obvious that the EU is not sufficiently committed to its own mission on the ground to see it succeed.

Kosovo’s government has hired an international PR company to rebrand the country. The motto of the campaign is “Kosovo: YoungEuropeans.” It tries to utilize the fact that Kosovo has the youngest population in Europe and to present a youthful and progressive image of Kosovo. Unfortunately, the youngest Europeans are also the most isolated. The EU has not yet even started the process of visa liberalisation with Kosovo. The average costs for a Schengen visa application in Kosovo is 124 Euros. While, the average monthly salary in Kosovo is 240 Euros. Kosovo, has the highest rejections of visa applications in the region. About half of the Schengen visa applications from Kosovo are refused.

Kosovo’s businesses are also feeling the pinch of isolation. Kosovo became a member of the Central

by Seb Bytyci

European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) through UNMIK (the UN Mission responsible for foreign policy among other things until 2008), but since its declaration of independence Kosovar companies have found it unable to sell goods to Serbia or use it as a transit route at all. Bosnia also decided not to respect CEFTA provisions when it came to Kosovo’s products. This policy of Serbia and Bosnia is disrupting regional trade, and is very damaging to Kosovo’s already weak economy. Although, Kosovo is one of the two countries (the other one being Albania), which has not seen negative growth during the economic crisis, its economy suffers from a wide trade imbalance. If Kosovo cannot sell its products in the region it cannot hope to create much needed new jobs.

The European foreign policy chief, Baroness Ashton, and the French Foreign Minister, Mr. Kouchner, just completed their tours of the Western Balkans. The EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Comissioner, Mr. Rehn, is in the region this second week of March. The message they need to take home is that the current situation is untenable. Kosovo needs its European and American allies now more than ever to help it break this isolation. The continuing tolerance for the lack of recognitions by five EU members and the aggressive Serbian policy towards Kosovo has to stop. Kosovo's citizens must enjoy visa free travel like their neighbors do, so they can see the benefits of a united Europe. Its companies should be able to benefit from free trade agreements and create jobs. Otherwise, the reformers in Kosovo and the civil society will struggle to find meaning to the reforms we are pushing for.

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