Jonas Westerlund, the Ambassador of Sweden to Kosovo, has warned that Kosovo’s current political situation is highly sensitive and could be exploited by countries that do not recognize its independence.
In an interview with Ekonomia Online, Westerlund acknowledged that Kosovo has made significant progress since the war, but stressed that the process is “not yet complete”.
Drawing parallels with Sweden’s political crisis in 2018, where government formation took several months, the ambassador said that success came only after continuous dialogue and compromise. He noted that such political communication is largely missing in Kosovo.
“I have not seen enough dialogue between political parties here to reach an agreement. Compromise is not something negative,” he emphasized.
Westerlund also warned that Kosovo’s fragile democratic framework faces several risks:
- Loss of trust between voters and political leaders if promises remain unfulfilled.
- Weakening of democratic institutions, with around 17 institutions currently not functioning properly.
He underlined that Kosovo is Europe’s newest democracy, not yet a member of Euro-Atlantic structures, and therefore more vulnerable to external influence.
“Kosovo is a success story, but it is not yet in a stable position. This sensitivity could be exploited by those who oppose its independence,” Westerlund concluded.
