Kosovo: EU does have some plans

Two current news items suggest that the EU still is spinning in circles over Kosovo. Spinning in circles is not necessarily bad but generally leads nowhere and can end up digging you a hole.

Perhaps assuming that Brussels has provided a big enough bonus for the Tadić government by finally moving ahead on visas and trade, the EU chief representative in Kosovo has announced that privatization of the Brezovica ski resort in the southern Serb municipality of Štrpce will now move ahead "in a transparent way, in cooperation between the EU, Belgrade and Pristina." Local Serbs have resisted the privatization fearing it would eventually mean "Albanization" of their livelihood and community. Serbia itself still claims ownership. Who might invest money in bringing the resort back into full operation while questions of ownership still exist is an interesting question. One might guess that the most likely would be those who don't care much about such questions because they have the money and a stake in Kosovo independence. (Thus the locals' concern.) Going nowhere or digging a hole?

An aside: EULEX Chief Feith made the announcement in Štrpce where he went to encourage local Serbs to vote in the second round of the municipal elections. There is no reason for the locals to trust EULEX given its efforts to force Kosovo institutions and ownership on them. But given their situation, it does make sense that the Serbs in Štrpce vote and occupy the leadership roles in their community.

Meanwhile, the Pristina press reports that EULEX will open this month its office in north Mitrovica. The recently appointed EU lead for northern Kosovo has begun making forays into the north. Italian Ambassador to Pristina Michael Giffoni has been telling the locals that he wants to get a feel for the issues and the people. He also visited the north Mitrovica court where he seemed to be joining another circular activity. According to EULEX, Giffoni recognized that there is “an urgent need for a functioning justice system, as it is a vital for the people who live here.” However - this is the circling part - he also repeated that this means that "Kosovo-Albanian and Kosovo-Serb Judges and Prosecutors need to be brought back to the court so they can prosecute and adjudicate cases." It seems unlikely that much progress will be made on the court issue until EULEX clarifies whose laws will be applied in the court (the local Serbs reject using Kosovo law), what the jurisdiction would be and what would be the role of the existing Serbian judges excluded by UNMIK and now EULEX. EULEX has resisted doing this as the answers would probably alienate one side or the other. One hopes at least that the circling doesn't come to include EULEX trying to settle these issues by using force as UNMIK did in March 2008.

The Pristina press also noted EU plans to open a “European Union House” in north Mitrovica. It seems that this "EU House" may be a new name for the ICO office that never could open in the north due to local Serb resistance to the ICO role in implementing Kosovo independence. If there is nothing to the office other than a name change - watch to see if ICO officers of old, especially David Slinn, pop up there - then this may end up as another circle. There is no reason to assume Serb resistance to Kosovo independence has weakened much. The EU may be banking on a ICJ win for Kosovo ending all debate. But it may still eventually have to decide to work in a truly status neutral way in the north or just keep spinning in place.