At the end of June PAX, jointly with Community Building Mitrovica and Center for Community Development (both based in Mitrovica) and with support of Forum for Ethnic Relations (based in Belgrade), presented views on the future of North Kosovo in Mitrovica and in Brussels.
In the report ‘North Kosovo in 2020 – Future histories in the making’ four plausible scenarios have been described, supplemented by recommendations from the ground, based on input of people in north Kosovo. This report has been written by Regina Joseph of Dutch research institute Clingendael and Jitske Hoogenboom of PAX.
On 19 April of last year, under the supervision of the European Union, Serbia and Kosovo signed a political agreement on North Kosovo. The implementation of this agreement calls for the adoption of a careful and cautious approach to the Serbian minority in Kosovo. However, this runs counter to the mood of many Kosovan Albanians, who want to see rapid progress in the implementation of the agreement. A significant number of them feel that too many concessions have already been made for the Serbians.
None of the scenarios described in the report offer an easy path to a better future. All of the parties involved will have to work hard to create a better future for people and to ensure that all of the population groups in North Kosovo want to keep living there. The scenarios are based on a combination of political factors, security, economic possibilities and sociocultural aspects. Several specific issues, such as possible drought, concerns about education and radicalisation have also been taken into account.
In publishing ‘North Kosovo in 2020’ PAX is hoping to contribute to the thinking on and efforts being made to create a viable future for all of the population groups in this part of Europe. The recommendations made in the report are intended to encourage policy makers to engage in a more active dialogue with people in North Kosovo and to work together to create a better future.
Read the report ‘North Kosovo in 2020 – Future histories in the making
See also: BalkanBorrel. North Kosovo 2020; Constructing future scenarios
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