An Independent Kosovo?

Rumours are fierce on the internet that Kosovo is set to declare its independence from Serbia this weekend. Whether Kosovo will formally announce its independence this weekend or not, it is evident that the partition is forthcoming. We have previously on the blog touched upon some of the implications of Kosovo’s independence here and here. The rumours follow announcements by the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, vowing to protect Serbian minorities within Kosovo and statements from the Russian Foreign Ministry stating that any declaration of independence from Kosovo would be taken into account in regard to Russia’s relations towards the breakaway parts of Georgia aspiring to be independent themselves. Similarly, a number of European states are reluctant to recognise an independent Kosovo fearing that it will prove a rubberstamp to other regions in Europe seeking independence from nation states. However, it cannot be emphasised strongly enough that the will of the Kosovo Albanians to seek independence should not be turned into a geopolitical back and forth discussion where one state’s independence is used as a trade-off against another. Such matters are far too important to deserve such attention. Although it remains a cliché, it is paramount that such important issues of regional independence are treated on a case to case basis by the international community and not according to predestined arguments of “we did not oppose this so you should not oppose that”.