Kosovo: Divide et libera! Vorschlag zu einem Tauschhandel in der Kosovo-Frage
Kosovo: Divide et libera! Bartering Trade as for the Kosovo Question – a Proposal

Summary/Abstract: The forming of Serbia’s new pro-European government in July 2008 has marked a milestone in the transformation of the country since 2000, more so, as it was formed with the support of the (unreformed) Socialist Party of the late Milosevic era. The leaders of this party – crude opportunists, interested in power not principles – rightly concluded, that a majority of the Serbian society has definitely chosen EU-integration and is sick and tired of experiments leading into isolation. But the optimistic picture of Serbia is overshadowed by the unsettled issue of Kosovo: Not only is Kosovo a potential stumbling block for Serbia’s political and economical development. More important: The master plan, imposed by the West, has serious shortcomings threatening the development of the young republic. Kosovo is a “fuzzy state”, with unclear borders (Serbia still controls the North and partly the enclaves), too many jurisdictions and too many international actors with unclear mandates. Instead of closing the eyes and meddling through, three facts should be acknowledged: 1. The Serbian populated areas will not integrate into Kosovo at reasonable costs. 2. The new Republic of Kosovo cannot be a true multi-ethnic state. 3. The protectorate (regardless if led by UN or EU) will rather hamper than develop Kosovo’s emerging democracy. Therefore a barter is proposed: Prishtina abandons the Serbian populated areas and is compensated by the abolishment of the protectorate thus losing some (theoretical) sovereignty but winning real sovereignty in the Albanian populated areas. Such a deal must be alleviated with EU’s support for “member-state building” for the two republics.

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