Former OSCE Ambassador to Kosovo during the war, William Walker, has strongly praised Kosovo’s democratic development, describing the country as “without a doubt among the most democratic nations in the world.”
Speaking at a commemorative event marking the anniversary of the Reçak Massacre, Walker said that Kosovo’s transformation over the past 27 years has been extraordinary, noting that the existence of an independent and democratic Republic of Kosovo would once have seemed unimaginable.
“If you had told me 27 years ago that I would one day stand before a democratically elected prime minister and president of an independent Republic of Kosovo, I would have said you were crazy,” Walker stated.
From Tragedy to Statehood
Walker emphasized that many actors deserve credit for Kosovo’s post-war development, including the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and NATO forces, whose actions helped shape today’s Kosovo.
“What you all represent to me is proof of how much has changed in just 27 years,” he added.
Tribute to OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission Volunteers
The former ambassador placed special emphasis on the contribution of OSCE Kosovo Verification Mission volunteers, who he said are often overlooked in public discourse.
He recalled that more than 1,200 volunteers from over 30 OSCE member states came to Kosovo during a highly dangerous period, serving unarmed and without protection, solely to document and verify events on the ground.
“They came here with no weapons and no protection. Perhaps we were the only people in Kosovo moving around unarmed, trying to see and report what was actually happening,” Walker stressed.
He underlined that these volunteers played a crucial role in informing the international community about events in Kosovo, often at great personal risk.
Kosovo’s Democratic Progress Impresses the World
Walker said that every visit to Kosovo leaves him deeply impressed, particularly by the democratic progress achieved since independence, which he called a miracle built by the people of Kosovo themselves.
“What has been developed here in just 15, 16 or 17 years by the people of Kosovo is something extraordinary,” he said.
Drawing on his global experience promoting democratic values, Walker concluded:
“Based on my assessment, Kosovo, as it is structured and functioning today, is unquestionably among the most democratic countries in the world.”
