Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared anew this weekend after Kosovo’s police raided Serb-dominated areas in the region’s north and seized local municipality buildings.
There have been violent clashes between Kosovo’s police and NATO-led peacekeepers on one side and local Serbs on the other, leaving several people injured on both sides.
Serbia raised combat readiness of its troops stationed near the border and warned it won’t stand by if Serbs in Kosovo are attacked again.
The situation has again fueled fears of a renewal of the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo that claimed more than 10,000 lives and left more than one million homeless.
The ongoing conflict between Serbia and Kosovo stems from deep-rooted ethnic tensions and divergent perspectives on the region's status.
No formal control
Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Albanians, was previously a province of Serbia, but declared independence in 2008.
However, Serbia refuses to recognize Kosovo as an independent state and maintains its claim over the territory, despite having no formal control.
The international community is divided on this matter, with approximately 100 countries, including the United States, recognizing Kosovo's independence.
On the other hand, Serbia has garnered support from Russia, China, and five European Union nations - Spain, Slovakia, Greece, Cyprus and Hungary.
This impasse has prevented full stabilization of the Balkan region since the violent conflicts of the 1990s and has left tensions simmering.
Recent Escalation
The latest flare-up in the Serbia-Kosovo conflict is the result of a boycot of local elections in northern Kosovo by Serbs, who form the majority in that region. Consequently, newly elected ethnic Albanian mayors, backed by Kosovo's riot police, assumed office last Friday. The Serbs attempted to resist this transition, leading to the deployment of tear gas by the police to disperse them.
This standoff intensified on Monday when Serbs staged a protest in front of municipal buildings, sparking fierce clashes with Kosovo peacekeepers and local police. The election boycott was preceded by the collective resignation of Serb officials, including administrative staff, judges, and police officers, in November 2022.
Ethnic Conflict
The underlying ethnic conflict in Kosovois is deeply rooted in history. Serbia regards the region as integral to its statehood and religion. Numerous medieval Serb Orthodox Christian monasteries are located in Kosovo, and Serb nationalists consider the 1389 battle against the Ottoman Turks, which was fought there, a symbol of their national struggle, although historians disagree about who was the actual winner.
In contrast, Kosovo's ethnic Albanian majority views the region as their country and accuses Serbia of occupation and repression.
In 1998, ethnic Albanian rebels launched a rebellion against Serbian rule, leading to a brutal response from Belgrade. This prompted a NATO intervention in 1999, which resulted in Serbia's withdrawal from Kosovo and the establishment of international peacekeepers' control.
Persisting tensions
Tensions persist between the Kosovo government and the Serb population, primarily concentrated in the northern part of the country, who maintain close ties with Belgrade.
Efforts by the central government to exert more control in the Serb-dominated north often face resistance from the Serbs living there. Mitrovica, the main town in the north, remains effectively divided between an ethnic Albanian part and a Serb-held part, with minimal interaction between the two communities.
Additionally, smaller Serb-populated enclaves exist in the south of Kosovo, while tens of thousands of Kosovo Serbs reside in central Serbia, having fled together with retreating Serb troops in 1999.
International initiatives
Numerous international initiatives have aimed to find a resolution between the former wartime adversaries, Serbia and Kosovo. However, a comprehensive agreement has yet to be reached.
EU officials have mediated negotiations to normalize relations between the two, resulting in several agreements on paper but limited implementation on the ground. Some progress has been made, such as the introduction of freedom of movement within the country.
Proposed solutions, including border changes and land swaps, have been met with resistance from many EU countries due to concerns that they may trigger similar conflicts in other ethnically diverse areas of the Balkans, potentially leading to further instability.
Lack of willingness to compromise
The Serbia-Kosovo conflict is shaped by the leadership and positions of key figures in both nations, characterized by nationalist sentiments and a lack of willingness to compromise.
In Kosovo, Albin Kurti has emerged as a prominent figure, having risen from a student protest leader to a political prisoner in Serbia. Kurti now leads the government in Kosovo and assumes the crucial role of the primary negotiator in EU-mediated talks. Known for his staunch support of Kosovo's unification with Albania, Kurti remains firmly opposed to any compromises with Serbia.
On the other side, Serbia is led by President Aleksandar Vucic, a populist leader who previously served as the information minister during the war in Kosovo. Vucic, once an ultranationalist, now advocates for a compromise-based solution, emphasizing the need for a lasting agreement. He asserts that Serbia will not settle unless it gains something from the negotiations.
Accelerated negotiations
International officials are eagerly anticipating accelerated negotiations and a potential solution in the coming months. The normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is crucial for their respective paths towards EU membership. Without a major breakthrough, prolonged instability, economic decline, and the constant potential for clashes loom over the region.
It is important to note that any Serbian military intervention in Kosovo would undoubtedly lead to a clash with NATO peacekeepers stationed in the area. Belgrade maintains control over Kosovo's Serb population, and the dispute must be resolved for Kosovo to become a functional state and a member of the United Nations.
(With agencies)
