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Twenty years have passed since the war, but the conflict between Serbia and Kosovo still awaits a permanent solution. Kosovo has long since declared itself an independent state, but Serbia still does not want to recognize it.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti have met with US President Donald Trump in Washington and solemnly signed an agreement. It should bring the two countries closer together economically.
Declaration of rest to calm down
But this agreement is a very special construction, if not strange: the most tangible thing it will bring to relations between Serbia and Kosovo is a declaration of status quo.
Kosovo wants to refrain from submitting applications for membership to international organizations for one year to consolidate its independence as a state. And Serbia does not want to persuade any other state to revoke its recognition of Kosovo for a year. It brings a bit of calm to relationships, but it is not a great advance.
The agreement also contains a series of statements of intent, each of which is described in just one to three sentences. Without concrete measures, without schedule. These are commitments that have been made previously, repackaged, for example, the construction of railways and roads.
Mini-Schengen as a paper tiger
What’s new is that Kosovo has agreed to participate in the so-called Mini-Schengen, a Serbian idea of free trade between Albania, Serbia, North Macedonia and now Kosovo. This is intended to eliminate the many small trade barriers. Until now, the project has been a paper tiger.
In general, the agreement corresponds to what the experts expected: an agreement that promises a lot financially, but does not guarantee anything. And what Donald Trump allows to announce a breakthrough in foreign policy to the ignorant American public before the presidential election.
The connection with Israel
The suspicion that this event is mainly about President Trump’s election campaign is also corroborated by the great surprise that the agreement brought with it: completely unexpectedly, at the signing, Trump announced that Serbia had committed to his message. in Israel to move to Jerusalem and for Israel and Kosovo to establish diplomatic relations. The Kosovo embassy will also be established in Jerusalem.
It is a strange business in various corners between the Balkans, the Middle East and the United States where everyone gets something:
- Kosovo is recognized by one more country: a point for Prime Minister Hoti.
- Serbian President Vucic huddles with Donald Trump and thus secures his future support for his controversial authoritarian policy in the case of Trump’s re-election.
- Israel has two more embassies in Jerusalem, now for the first time from European countries.
- And Donald Trump is the big winner. Nationwide, embassy locations in Jerusalem earn you points with evangelical and Jewish voters.
The people of Serbia and Kosovo can see it. The practical use is written in the stars.
