American Balkans expert Daniel Serwer has expressed deep concern over the stagnation of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, warning that the lack of political will from both sides is pushing the process toward total failure.
“The dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is at serious risk of returning to square one,” Serwer warned.
After more than a decade of negotiations, partial agreements, and ongoing tensions, the normalization process has entered a deep deadlock.
Serwer noted that the recent surge in nationalist rhetoric—especially evident during student protests in Serbia—as well as the inability of Kosovo’s political class to form functioning institutions, are making any serious attempt at dialogue nearly impossible.
At a time when the European Union (EU) and the United States (US) appear to have lost their previous leverage, Serwer suggested that Kosovo should prioritize NATO membership before the situation escalates into a new security crisis.
“Normalization has already stalled. Nationalist rhetoric won’t help restart it. The process has failed so far. But there is certainly room for recovery—if Belgrade and Pristina decide to commit to it,” Serwer told Koha, referring to the recent protests in Serbia, during which anti-Kosovo slogans were displayed.
The American expert also stressed that, with rising domestic tensions in Serbia and institutional paralysis in Kosovo, the chances of either government engaging seriously in dialogue over the coming months are minimal.
“I doubt either side is truly interested. Neither Vučić nor Kurti is showing readiness, while Europe and the US are focused on other global issues,” he said.
