Independence Day for Kosovars in New York
By Jackie Carpenter
2008 MIA
After nine years of diplomatic doublespeak, stalled negotiations and cold war-era power plays between Moscow and Washington, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on Sunday and became the world’s newest state. “We never lost faith in the dream that one day we would stand among the free nations of the world,” said Prime Minister Hashim Thaci in a morning speech to Parliament, “and today we do." Assoc. Press– Kosovo Independence
Among those who never lost faith are hundreds of New Yorkers of Kosovar and Albanian heritage who poured into Times Square at noon Sunday to celebrate what many of them called the most important event in their lives. “Today means everything to me,” said Emir, 26, draped in the black-and-red Albanian flag, “it means freedom, it means happiness, it’s like I’ve been born for the second time.”
“We were waiting for this day for decades,” added Resmi Albri, an
upstate Kosovo-born resident who was quick to thank the United States.
“If it was not for the U.S., we couldn’t have this.” Indeed, it is
well-known that Kosovo’s declaration of independence would have meant
little without the U.S.’s formal recognition of the Kosovo state today,
after which several European countries have expectedly followed suit.
Many claim that this unilateral path to independence undermines the
U.N., international law, and the principle of state sovereignty while
setting a dangerous precedent for separatist movements around the
world. Rule of Law?
To these arguments the revelers in Times Square on Sunday had one
answer. “We deserve it,” said Albri, “we suffered.” Other Kosovo
supporters on the Square echoed her sentiments; for them the
implications of their homeland’s independence were far less important
than the miraculous fact of it. NYers Cheer Independence
They waved American and Albanian flags, sang ethnic songs and parked
their flag-draped cars in the middle of the busiest intersection in the
country, while unamused NYPD officers wrote citation after citation.
Suffice it to say that the spontaneous celebration took place without a
permit, but after eight years these New Yorkers were through waiting
for permission.
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So Jackie… concerning the U.S. role in this unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo…
YOUR THOUGHTS…???
Right move? Wrong move? Ultimately in our nation’s best interest… or not so much?
(*SMILE*)
With all due respect to Hashim Thaci, Emir, Resmi Albri, and the other “Independent Kosovo” supporters who rallied in Times Square this past Sunday… what is YOUR view of this development?
While you did acknowledge that “[m]any claim that this unilateral path to independence undermines the U.N., international law, and the principle of state sovereignty while setting a dangerous precedent for separatist movements around the world,” I’m not getting a clear picture from your essay of how YOU feel about what’s happened.
I’d be interested in your views and the views of any other readers/participants.
BILL
Viva Kosova!
great piece here Jackie! really, really, well done.
Thanks for everyone’s comments. Regarding my own opinion, I suppose I have to get used to this blogging idea which requires me to insert my opinion everywhere. I sort of shy away from doing so, except when something is explicitly an op-ed. Be that as it may, since you asked, here goes. Kosovo’s unilateral independence poses some serious, serious problems. It creates more problems than it solves. My main question regarding the proposal of Kosovo’s independence has always been the economic angle — how exactly will such a new state support itself? No one disagrees that it is definitely a mess now — there is little industry, sky-high unemployment, no natural resources (except for coal, which is not so attractive in this environmentally-conscious world) and no tourism draw (it is landlocked, not on the precious Adriatic coast). The EU has decided to take over the UN role in the country, and it is definitely in the EU’s long-term interest to help Kosovo succeed. However, Serbia will probably thwart its every attempt to do so. Under the color of international law this is still Serbia’s territory, let us not forget, and every time a company wants to invest money there Serbia will have a right to tax it. If it is denied this right, it will have a legal claim that could delay, postpone, forestall, etc. development of the region. So, Kosovo in the end would be denied precious tax dollars.
The answer here is definitely the EU, to which Serbia wants accession for obvious reasons. The EU will have to leverage this in its negotiations with Serbia regarding Kosovo (of which I am sure there will be many). The question is how much of this the EU really wants to take on right now. It is already suffering from enlargement fatigue for the states that have become members, much less take on further burdens from those who are far, far away from membership.
So, in the end I see independence here as largely symbolic. My fear is that the Kosovars, who have waited for independence for a while and who think that it will solve all of their problems, will be bitterly disappointed when it does not. Nationwide disaffection and disappointment and frustration tend to lead to violence in the Balkans pretty quick. It is only in the long, long long term that I foresee Kosovo ever becoming truly independent, and the declaration on Sunday may have only delayed that process.
Terrific piece, thanks. A couple of thoughts perhaps worth bearing in mind:
- while the EU is deploying a 2,000 person mission of police and judicial sector professionals, overall security will continue to be provided by more than 15,000 NATO troops who will remain in Kosovo indefinitely under UNSCR 1244. So security in the sense of large-scale violence or an invasion from Serbia is unlikely to be a real problem.
- Kosovo is now independent (this is no longer Serbia’s territory as you assert and Serbia has no further legal or tax claims inside Kosovo), so Pristina will be able to establish its own relationships with the outside world, including arrangements with international financial institutions, private banks, and national and regional donors, and private companies. This is a key first step towards economic development. Serbia can block commercial traffic across the common border but otherwise can do little to stop Kosovo’s progress. Serbia, along with Russia and China can block Kosovo’s entry into the UN, but Kosovo’s key relationships now are with the EU, NATO, and bilateral ties with the US and other nations.
- The EU’s enlargement fatigue is real, but is not a key factor in its relationship with Serbia. Serbia seeks an SAA (Stabilization and Association Agreement) with the EU, which is a first-step towards eventual EU membership. The EU is willing to consider signing an SAA, but the Netherlands insists that this only be done when Serbia has handed over Ratko Mladic, the war criminal indicted for the massacre of Srebrenica (The Hague is the seat of the ICTY tribunal, hence the particular Dutch interest in the case). Until either Mladic is arrested (an unlikely political maneuver in the polarized environment in Belgrade today) or the Dutch relent on their SAA demands (unlikely, since they have no reason to do so), Serbia can’t move closer to the EU. The EU can offer things like visa-free travel or streamlined customs procedures to Belgrade, but little more.
- the key problem, I believe, and one which you don’t mention, is the status of the Kosovo Serbs. Currently the Serbs are in two enclaves, a large one consisting of four districts around Mitrovica (“north of the Ibar”) in the north, and a smaller one in Strpce in the south. The Mitrovica enclave borders Serbia, and there is a real question whether those four districts will try to separate from Kosovo and be annexed to Serbia. This was the reason for the Serbs burning the two border posts this week. Belgrade can, and probably will, seek to foment unrest by dispatching rabble-rousers and possibly armed elements to Mitrovica. The Pristina government and the international community will have their hands full enforcing separation between this Serb enclave and Serbia proper.
Sorry to run on so long. Regards.
“Kosovo’s unilateral independence poses some serious, serious problems. It creates more problems than it solves.”
Agreed! Congratulations, Jackie… you get an “A” in Professor Barker’s course entitled, “What the heck did I get out of my advanced degree besides advanced debt?”
(*GRIN*) (*WINK*)
No… seriously… though your “shyness” kinda puzzles me, I very much appreciate your tackling the question. I don’t know what you intend to do with your life post-MIA, but what this nation (and indeed the world) needs more of is GOOD JUDGEMENT coupled with DECISION MAKING ABILITY. I mean… I’ve always been one who believes in learning for learning’s sake, but it’s certainly a plus (*SMILE*) when knowledge lends itself to the capacity of taking PROPER action… of pressing for/making the CORRECT decisions that you may one day be in the position to make by virtue of your professional development which in large part I assume will evolve from your academic development.
“My fear is that the Kosovars, who have waited for independence for a while and who think that it will solve all of their problems, will be bitterly disappointed when it does not.”
From your typing fingers to the politicians bloodshot eyes! (*HUGE FRIGG’N GRIN*)
Again… seriously… just think about the mess U.S. policy missteps have made of our relations with Russia and the Russian People during the Bush/Clinton/Bush terms. (*FROWN*) It didn’t have to go this way.
BILL
I happen to think it’s interesting that Serbia has the nerve to talk about ‘international law’ right NOW and during conflicts they completely IGNORE it…
Yes, there will be problems with the new state but they will be worked on and hopefully Europe will be better in the future because of this.