The NATO summit, held on July 7 and 8 in Ankara, Turkey, has brought the issue of Kosovo’s membership in the North Atlantic Alliance back into focus.
Although NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had stated that 10 non-member states could join the summit, Kosovo did not receive an invitation to be part of it.
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On the other hand, there are views that Kosovo could become part of NATO by 2028, while security experts consider this a feasible scenario, arguing that the KSF is prepared.
Professor and doctor of international relations Enver Bytyçi believes that Kosovo has met the conditions for membership, citing the army’s preparedness, the consolidation of democratic standards in elections, and the fact that its legislation is democratic.
According to him, the only obstacle remains the four countries that still do not recognize Kosovo.
“I hear on Kosovo’s television debates criticism of Prime Minister Kurti’s visit to Greece. Some say he is vacationing there. Others say the visit is unnecessary. An ignorant diplomat asked, Blerim Canaj posed the idiotic question: ‘So, did Kurti secure recognition when he went to Athens?!’ In short, I am ashamed that my colleagues in Kosovo have so much malice, so much hatred and venom to pollute the political environment in Kosovo. This introduction leads directly to my thinking on the possibility of Kosovo becoming a member of the Atlantic Alliance. The American diplomat and expert on our region, Daniel Serwer, is optimistic that by 2028, as projected, the Kosovo Security Force will meet all the conditions to be a NATO army. But he raises the question: How much will the United States of America work and exert influence so that four member states of this alliance recognize Kosovo? These countries are already known, namely Greece, Spain, Romania and Slovakia.”
“While Kosovo’s army is being trained to be part of NATO, while Kosovo itself has consolidated democratic standards in elections and in the exercise of power, while Kosovo’s laws are more democratic even than the laws of some other NATO member states, then Kosovo as a state, as institutions and as a society, together with its army and armed forces, is ready to become part of the world’s largest political and military alliance, namely NATO. The only obstacle is the four countries mentioned above, which still do not recognize the state of Kosovo and in all likelihood will use their veto to block Kosovo from receiving an invitation to join NATO. We must bear in mind the fact that even if the governments of these countries abstain and the invitation goes to Kosovo, that invitation must be voted on in the parliaments of all member countries of the Atlantic Alliance. But there is no certainty whatsoever that the parliaments of these four countries would vote in favor of Kosovo’s membership in the Alliance. It is even possible that some other country which has recognized Kosovo might not approve this membership. Much depends on the geopolitical circumstances and the relations between Kosovo and NATO member states,” Bytyçi told Bota Sot.
Bytyçi says that only the US has the weight to push Alliance countries to vote in Kosovo’s favor.
He stresses that Washington can also play a role in overcoming the problem of non-recognition.
“However, only the US can morally compel member states of the Alliance to vote in favor of Kosovo. This can be done in many ways. For example, if the US, Germany, Great Britain, Turkey and others condition their relations in at least one or two specific areas with the opposing countries, those countries may choose to recognize Kosovo and vote for its NATO membership. So the United States of America, as the world’s greatest power and the leading power within the Alliance itself, can intervene and resolve the deadlock of non-recognition.
But that does not mean Kosovo should sit idly by. Albin Kurti’s frequent visits to Greece give hope that Greece may recognize the state of Kosovo. His good relations with the Spanish prime minister have softened that country’s stance toward Kosovo. Spain no longer speaks as harshly against Kosovo’s independence. It has even recognized its passports and documents. Romania is not so stubborn against recognizing Kosovo either. And if recognition is achieved from these three countries, Slovakia and Cyprus, which is not a NATO member, will not be able to remain in the corner. Therefore, Kosovo’s government and institutions must work hard to entice the non-recognizing countries to do this,” the professor said.
According to Bytyçi, even if the obstacle of non-recognition is overcome, the road to membership in the Atlantic Alliance will not be easy.
He warns that Kosovo must be ready for different scenarios, clearly define its priorities, and know exactly what steps it will take.
“Secondly, the process of joining the Atlantic Alliance is not so simple, even if those four non-recognizing countries recognize Kosovo. There will be other countries that will demand concessions from Kosovo in exchange for their vote in favor of membership. Only if some dramatic situation arises in Europe from a geopolitical standpoint could the demand for compromises and concessions be avoided. The concessions may be linked to the dialogue with Serbia, or to the particular interests of NATO member states in the region and in Kosovo. Someone may ask for a gas monopoly, someone else for Trepça, and so on. Kosovo must be prepared for such situations, clearly define its priorities, and be certain about the steps it will take,” Bytyçi emphasized.
In the end, he adds that Albin Kurti should not fall prey to what he calls troublemakers.
“Under these conditions, what matters is the creation of institutions. Especially the election of the head of state. Once again I return to some analysts and diplomats who, during their discussions, speak only about ‘Albin Kurti’s goals’ and not about facts and concrete evidence. They act as though they are so capable that they can read what Albin thinks, what he is mulling over in his head. Even though, when they were in diplomacy, they worked for the alienation of Kosovo’s territory, or at least lobbied for it. Certainly under the orders of their idol, Hashim Thaçi. These people play the oracle in their predictions about the creation of institutions. They want to push the discussion toward the idea of holding new elections because, as they say, ‘Albin wants all powers in his own hands’! Blindly, they also say that he is taking control of the media. Even though they know that quite a few media outlets in Kosovo are not only in the service of the opposition, but also of the Serbian government and even registered as businesses in Serbia. All these narratives only negatively affect the creation of institutions. Therefore Albin Kurti must not fall into the trap of these troublemakers. Because in this way Kosovo itself becomes entangled!” Bytyçi concluded.
