Further Appeasement of Serbia Risks Serious Escalations in the Balkans

Washington, D.C.

The recent tensions between Kosova and Serbia are fueled by Serbia’s ongoing efforts and long term plans to undermine Kosova’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and democratic progress, all of which have been achieved with strong support from the United States, EU, and their partners. Aleksander Vucic and his regime continue to pose a serious threat to peace and stability in the region in large part due to his close ties to Putin and China, which the West has been naïvely underestimating.

Kosova, along with Bosnia and Montenegro, is seen by Vucic as an obstacle to his radical aims consistent with those of his mentor and predecessor, Slobodan Milosevic, namely the creation of Greater Serbia. We the undersigned, representing the views of nearly one million Albanians living in the United States, find it inexcusable that the youngest and most pro-American democracy in the world continues to face inordinate pressure from EU & US diplomats.

The insistence by DAS Gabriel Escobar and the US Ambassador to Belgrade, Mr. Christopher R. Hill, on further concessions by Kosova would clearly undermine its viability as a sovereign and democratic state. The creation of an Association of Municipalities with Serbian Majorities, as being advocated, would be detrimental to the very constitutional order and the multi-ethnic character Kosova embodies today, threatening to make the state dysfunctional in a way we have seen with Bosnia. The US and the EU ought to understand and accept that the current situation is not an issue of Serbian minority rights. The Serbs from Kosova have extensive rights – enshrined in Kosova’s constitution – which we could only wish Serbia equivalently granted to over 120,000 Albanians in the Presheva Valley.

We are also gravely concerned by Ambassador Hill’s declaration that “[of] course, the government of Serbia has the right to address KFOR, but this remains a political issue,“ as it pertains to the return of Serbian troops to Kosova. This weakens the role of US and NATO and increases the risk for more ethnic tensions and escalations. Kosova Security Force (KSF) has recruits from all ethnic backgrounds, including Kosova Serbs. If there is a need to secure and defend Kosova beyond what KFOR guarantees, KSF can rise to the task. The US and EU should focus on supporting KSF and Kosova to be ready for NATO and EU while vehemently reject allusions that it is tolerable for Serbia to even think about assaulting Kosova another time. We firmly believe that if a single Serbian soldier were to cross the border, then Kosova and Albanians will have no choice but to mobilize their defenses and chase out any invading troops.

The US and the West need to stop appeasing Serbia and reject praise for Vucic and his cronies for solving threats and problem mere weeks after he engenders those himself. The recent policy of falsely equalizing blame in the Western Balkans has encouraged renewed Serbian aggression and hegemonic aims. By depicting both sides as responsible for Belgrade-backed criminal activity and escalations, the EU and NATO are emboldening Serbian aggression and revisionism. We see as counterproductive and unacceptable that, for instance, the US and the EU are calling the barricades as means of “peaceful protests.” Reports from reliable sources and media prove that the barricades have been erected by criminal and paramilitary groups, commanded by Belgrade in coordination with the ‘Russian Humanitarian Center’ in Nis, Serbia and the Russian mercenaries from Wagner Group.

While the US and EU may see barricades and agitating requests for the return of Serbian soldiers as means of pressuring Kosova into making concessions, they must be acutely aware of consequences: letting Serbia act aggressively risks wrecking the peace efforts and investments the US, EU, and other democratic governments have made in the Balkans for decades. This is a key moment in history to resolve the instability generated by Belgrade’s hegemonic interests and return the region to a path of peace and economic prosperity. The only way to achieve it is by making it clear to Serbia – without delay – that it either accepts Kosova’s independence or it shall find itself decisively against the West, NATO and any possible aspirations, if any, it may have for joining the EU.

Signatories of the Statement, Albanian American Organizations:

Pan-Albanian American Congress (PAAC)

Pan Albanian Federation of America VATRA Batalioni Atlantiku – Atlantic Battalion Albanian-American Community of Illinois (AACI) Malesia e Madhe Association, New York Malesia e Madhe Association, Michigan Albanian Diaspora Business Network

Peja – New York Association Kraja Association

Plavë Guci Foundation

Ana e Malit Association

Valet e Liqenit Association Jehona Association – Michigan

Ulqini Association – Chicago

Çameria Association

Prespa Association – Chicago

Uskana Association