A man using his phone in front of the Kosovo Presidency building lit up with the colours of the American flag in Pristina to mark the US independence day on July 4. — AFP
FOR years, Kosovo prided itself as one of Washington’s most steadfast partners and an unapologetic bastion of adoration for the United States.
But amid a new crisis with arch-rival Serbia, many have been left wondering if Kosovo’s once iron-clad relations with the US are starting to crack.
Trouble has been brewing for months in Kosovo’s restive north, following an election boycott by the area’s Serbs that saw ethnic Albania mayors installed in four Serb-majority municipalities in May.
The move backed by Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti has triggered one of the worst bouts of unrest in the north in years.
Austrian Nato peacekeepers looking on as employees of the local hospital lead a protest march of ethnic Serbs from the flashpoint city of Mitrovica towards the municipality of Zvecan, north Kosovo. — AFP
In recent weeks, northern Kosovo has been rocked by demonstrations, the arrest of three Kosovar police officers by Serbia and a violent riot by Serb protesters that saw more than 30 Nato peacekeepers injured.
Amid the acrimonious back and forth between Serbia and Kosovo, the government in Pristina found itself in a strangely uncomfortable and unusual position – on the receiving end of a barrage of diplomatic jabs from Washington.
“We strongly condemn the actions by the Government of Kosovo that are escalating tensions in the north and increasing instability,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in late May.
The broadside against Pristina was accompanied by a litany of statements by US diplomats on the ground in the Balkans.
The US envoy to Serbia, Christopher Hill, pinned much of the blame on Kosovo’s prime minister, telling the Voice of America broadcaster: “I think we have a problem with Mr Kurti.”
Jeffrey Hovenier, Washington’s ambassador to Kosovo, went on to hint that the spat was undermining US support for Kosovo in other political arenas.
“I would have to say that at this moment in time, you don’t find a lot of enthusiasm on the part of the United States to respond to Kosovo’s other interests, such as engaging in non-recognisers or working actively to advance Kosovo’s European or Euro-Atlantic trajectory,” Hovenier told reporters.
To add to Pristina’s woes, the EU also piled on the pressure, targeting Kosovo with an array of temporary measures including suspending high-level visits and some financial cooperation.
Kurti has been quick to fire back, calling Blinken’s comments “unfair, wrong and harmful, but at the same time very naive”.
Kosovo’s prime minister has been at odds with Washington in the past, especially during a short-lived tenure as premier when Donald Trump was president.
But on the ground in Kosovo, Washington’s perceived siding with Serbia during the current crisis has left many rattled.
Kosovo has long prided itself as “the most pro-American country” in the world.
The admiration for the US is rooted in gratitude for Washington’s support during its fight for independence from Serbia – including the Nato military intervention that ended the war with Belgrade in 1999.
The sight of American flags remains common in the capital Pristina, which is also home to a statue of former US president Bill Clinton, a bust of the late secretary of state Madeleine Albright and a boulevard named after George W. Bush.
Klinton and Medllin – a Kosovar take on Clinton and Madeleine – were popular names for children born after the war.
The US was among the first countries to recognise Kosovo’s independence declaration in 2008 and has remained an invaluable source of political and economic support ever since.
Whisperings in Belgrade and Pristina have pinned much of the blame on the diplomatic rupture with Kurti – a former student organiser known for his unrelenting approach to politics and pious persona that has been a source of irritation to Kosovo’s foreign partners.
“I never thought that there could be a cooling in the relations between the US and Kosovo,” Avni Spahiu, Kosovo’s first ambassador to the US, said.
Speculation is rife that the US’s harshness toward Kosovo, paired with its lighter diplomatic touch with Serbia, is partly rooted in widespread rumours that Belgrade has become a valuable source of ammunition for the Ukrainian war effort.
During a recent interview, Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic – a controversial strongman known for his anti-Western posturing – seemed to acknowledge the ammo sales to intermediaries but downplayed the notion of directly arming Kyiv.
“What is the alternative for us? Not to produce it? Not to sell it?” Vucic told The Financial Times. “But I’m not a fool. I am aware that some of the arms might end up in Ukraine.”
While tensions remain high with Serbia, the thought of losing US support amid Kosovo’s uncertain place in Europe’s future has been troubling for many.
“Without America, we can’t even take a single step,” said Alban, a 38-year-old fitness instructor in Pristina.
Former ambassador Spahiu agreed.
“Such a great friend is irreplaceable,” he said.
“We considered and still consider America an eternal friend.” — AFP
