+383 Prishtina Calling
+383 Prishtina Calling

Kosovo Ten Years After the Declaration of Independence

Summary/Abstract: Ten years after independence, most Kosovars are disappointed. They expected more prosperity and employment. The new government in Kosovo, which is in place since September 2017, has not been able to ratify the border agreement with Montenegro – a prerequisite for participation in the Schengen visa liberalization regime. In summer 2018, Kosovo might finally get a dialling code of its own: +383. The country remains bottom-placed regarding EU enlargement in the Western Balkans. In Serb inhabited Northern Kosovo the security situation has worsened after the murder of Oliver Ivanović in January 2018. Prior to a bilateral and legally binding agreement between Kosovo and Serbia – which should be signed in 2019 – there has been speculation about a possible border change, which could result in Northern Kosovo falling to Serbia. However, the German government has clearly opposed this possibility. There are also rumours that Russia and the US could play a role in the agreement, but this is rejected by key players in the EU.

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