Introduction

 Inner Problems Facing Kosovo

One of the biggest problems facing Kosovo in its path towards the sovereign,
democratic and economically viable with the aims of integration in EU,
NATO, UN and other international organisations in its inner problems which
reflects the overall dynamism or development.

>>When discussing the inner problems the main issue concerning Kosovo in
its sovereignty and its functioning as a compact state, here the northern
part with its Serbian parallel structures are creating de facto state within a
state with no link to the central administration in Prishtina but rather
turning to Belgrade for instructions shows the inability of Kosovo in
functioning as an integral state.1

>>The aim of international community is bringing stability to the Balkans

and slowly integrating the last part of Europe into the big European family.
However, the Ballkan’s integration is not without its challenges. Croatia –
Slovenia border problem, Greece - Macedonia name problem are some of the
problems. But the main problems are in Bosnia as ethnically divided with
very little possibility of functioning as multiethnic state. The part of
Republika Srpska is autonomous part with desire to separate from Bosnia
and unite with Serbia. Kosovo on the other hand after its independence is
facing the inner territorial problem of north part where Serbs are a majority.
In order to be considered and to function as a proper state the authority of
the central government has to function in the given territory. 2 The
Ahtisaari’s status settlement aim of multiethnic society of the
decentralisation of the government power closer to the people in accordance
to the European principles and the accommodation of minorities have
created a non-functional system for the central government . The inner
challenges have created a chain reaction, territorial ethnic dividedness
carrying in itself the possibility of ethnic confrontation which undermines
the image of a stable state. Additionally economic problems, infrastructure,
energy, corruption it effects directly foreign investments. Ethnically divided
country with economic problems will create difficulty to the foreign ministry
in presenting the government as successful in international arena affecting
in lobbying for recognition.

In case of ethnically divided country international community is fearing

partition because of the possibility of “opening the Pandora box” in the
Balkans.

1
Ibid.
2
Ibid.
>>Separating Kosovo in ethnic lines is not a new proposal. Even though not
official- publicly articulated policy partition was idea which started from
Dobrica Cosic, the former Yugoslav President and well known Serbian
writer. He argued that if Kosovo question could not be solved the partition
would be a solution. In his recent book “Kosovo” in 2004 “Kosovo”. 3
Milosevic ,Djindjic, Koshtunica have worked actively towards partition.
Serbian President Boris Tadic has already stated that if all other possibilities
failed, Serbia would consider partitioning Kosovo.4

One of the comparisons that are mad is also one of the most notorious of
these agreements was the 1923 Treaty of Lausanne, which ended the Greek-
Turkish war in Asia Minor. At Lausanne, the Greek and Turkish
governments and the Great Powers stated as the very first article of the
treaty the principle of preventive exchange of population:

“As from the 1st May, 1923, there shall take place a compulsory exchange of
Turkish nationals of the Greek Orthodox religion established in Turkish
territory, and of Greek nationals of the Muslim religion established in Greek
territory.”24
The result was the forced displacement of almost 1.5 million people,
destroying communities that had existed since ancient times. While many
had already been displaced by conflict, there were still over 200,000 Greeks
in Anatolia and more than 354,000 Turks in Greece.
Many of these were “prosperous and satisfied, feeling secure and having no
desire to abandon their homes.” 25 As the Greek prime minister noted at the
time, “both the Greek and the Turkish population involved… are protesting
against this procedure… and display their dissatisfaction by all the means
at their disposal.”26 With the principal of territorial separation accepted at
the international level, however, there was nowhere to appeal, and the
expulsions continued to their bitter conclusion.5

>>Moreover those Albanian nationalists have been promoting reunification

of the Albanian populated territories for decades starting from unification of
Kosova and Albania later integration of Serbian territory of Preshevo,
Medvegja and Bujanovc, parts of Macedonia and Montenegro. In the case of
partition the fear of uprising of the Albanian minorities in Serbia and
Macedonia and the Serbs of Republika Srpska would destabilize the region.

???>>For Serbia partition would mean some compensation for the already
lost Kosovo. Based on its works for ethnic division in Kosovo supporting
parallel institutions providing all sorts of assistance from construction to

3
Tadic Hints at Kosovo Partition, B92 30September 2008 (B92 Serbia’s broadcaster).
4
Dy anet e kunderta te decentralizimt (Two opposing sides of decentralization) Radio Free
Europe evropaelire.org 8 September 2010.
5
http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/UNTC/UNPAN016678.pdf
energy assistance it can be concluded that this is Serbia’s aim. 6 For the
Kosova Albanians this would mean losing around 17 percent of territory
and the main industrial mining region which would affect its economy
seeking it revival partly through its natural resources the loss of the water
resources on the Ibar and Gazivoda lake which lies within Zubin Potok
region, and the more mineral wealth and industrial potential of Trepca
around Mitrovica and Zvecan. >>Losing Trepca would deprive the already
rich province from a source of revenue and employment and reduce the
viability of independent Kosovo. Loss of Trepca would also create a
permanent grievance among the Kosovo Albanians therefore becoming a
focal point for future conflict.7

????The Kosovo Serbs living in the enclaves south of Mitrovica constitute

around 60 percent of all Serbs living in Kosovo. For the Serbian part firstly it
will have direct effect on the 60 percent of the Serbian minority living in the
southern part meaning that the enclaves within Kosovo with no border –
direct link to Serbia , the Albanian expulsion from north Kosovo would mean
their expulsion or at least psychological pressure to leave. Moreover, the
possible unrest on the southern Serbia populated with Albanian majority
which would like to use the opportunity to unite with Kosovo. 8

The option of territorial exchange North of Kosovo for South of Serbia is one
option, however, knowing the region the population exchange can lead to
possible violence in the whole region based on these facts partitioning
cannot be supported as possible solution. The authority over the north
Mitrovica needs to be established with the removal of parallel structures and
replacawed by Kosovo institutions.9

Serbia has two ethnic minorities which could cause inner problems in their
request for greater autonomy such as Muslim minority of Sanxhak and
Vojvodina Hungarian minorities. For the international community the
ethnically divided Kosovo would create a precedent with regional
implications. This will be Europe’s nightmare scenario as instead of
integrating of Western Balkans within European Union it would have to face
unrest in the region which could easily spread into other parts of Europe
and may even impact other minority issues worldwide. 10

6
National Crisis Group No good Alternative to Ahtisaari plan Europe Report Nr 182 14
May 2007.
7
Kyla Burke Decentralization and Human Security in Kosovo Master thesis 2005 LSE library.
8
National Crisis Group No good Alternative to Ahtisaari plan Europe Report Nr 182 14
May 2007.
9
Ibid.
10
Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia, Forgotten World:
http://www.helsinki.org.yu/doc/2nd%20and%203rd%20missions%20to%20Serb
%20enclaves%20in%20Kosovo%20report.doc . Kosovo Lives: A mixed Village 2008 & BBC
NEWS Kosovo lives: A mixed village http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7526184.stm
Firstly the possibility of reconciliation even-though difficult to reach in a
short term it is not an impossible task. With decentralisation process
Serbian minority gained minority rights in Europe. Nevertheless, the
situation on the ground is far from multiethnic and is still divided along the
ethnic line, thus creating problems for both Kosovo Serbs and Albanians.
The freedom of movement even-though is often proclaimed to have been
reached it is still far from reality. Serbia is also making the reconciliation
process harder by intimidating the Kosovo Serbs not to join the Kosovo
governmental institutions. The reconciliation in the south can be seen when
passing through Serb enclaves, in the case of foreigner they won’t be able to
notice that Serbs live there, if not told. In the Kosova –Serbian border Close
to Preshevo Valey they are Albanian houses mixed together living in
coexistence.11

11
UNDP Early Warning Report 26 September 2009 located in UNDP Early Warning Report
for Kosovo webpage.