Tag : WakeUp

Dr. Alon Ben-Meir* New York (The Hawk): Over the past two years I have written several opinion pieces about the situation in Kosovo and how successive governments have in fact failed their people. But when Prime Minister Kurti assumed power, I felt gratified that Kosovo finally elected a prime minister who would rise to the occasion and lift his country from its 12 years of doldrums. With the best intensions however, Kurti’s priorities did not fall in line with what the public wants and needs. He became obsessed with what Serbia’s President Vucic says or does, and in particular he wanted to assert his power on the ethnic Serbian community in Kosovo as if his country’s true independence rests entirely on this community pledging allegiance to Kosovo’s flag. I still believe that Kurti can change course and put his country on a trajectory consistent with his vision to make Kosovo an independent and prosperous democracy if he only reprioritizes his domestic and foreign agenda. There are five facts that Kurti seems to ignore which could have dramatically changed the course of Kosovo for the better. EU and US Guarantors of Kosovo’s Independence To begin with, the EU and the US are ultimately the guarantors of Kosovo’s independence and would not offer any solution to Kosovo’s problems, including its conflict with Serbia as well as with its ethnic Serbs, that would under any circumstances compromise Kosovo’s independence and territorial integrity. After all, these two powers together made it possible for Kosovo to become a sovereign state, and ensure its independence and long-term security. It would be strategically self-defeating if they were to renege on their commitment. Kurti has demonstrated shortsightedness by not following their advice, ...