BERLIN/PRISTINA (Own report) – The EU is discussing redrawing borders in Southeast Europe. The Kosovo leadership could thus cede control over its Serbian-speaking North to Belgrade, in exchange for the Albanian-speaking Preševo valley of Southern Serbia. Obviously backed by France, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, is promoting this exchange, against Germany’s rejection. The plan, in fact, is redrawing borders in accordance with the ethnic criteria pursued by the German government in Southeast Europe, in particular during in the 1990s and early 2000s. After having been stationed in Kosovo for nearly 20 years, the Bundeswehr is preparing a major withdrawal. Its focus will now be on training and arming Kosovo’s armed forces, which have begun cooperating with NATO, while Kosovo’s population continues to languish in poverty, after nearly two decades of western occupation. It is the second poorest region in Europe. Only military cooperation with NATO is flourishing.
Redrawing Borders
The EU is currently discussing redrawing borders in Southeast Europe. The debate has been pushed by Kosovo’s president Hashim Thaçi, a former commander of the KLA militia, which had served as NATO’s de facto ground forces during the Kosovo war, in the spring of 1999, and – together with the western powers – imposed that Southern-Serbian province’s secession. Thaçi has been accused of criminal Mafia activities for many years. (german-foreign-policy.com reported.[1]) In July, Kosovo’s president proposed to “adjust borders” between Serbia and Kosovo, which had seceded from Serbia in violation of international law: Kosovo’s leadership could cede its control over the Serbian-speaking north of the seceded province to Belgrade, in exchange for the mainly Albanian-speaking Preševo valley in southern Serbia. The idea is not exactly popular within the population. Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić, however, had agreed to enter talks. Initial negotiations have already taken place under EU mediation – until now, without success.[2]
German Ethnic Policy
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Quarrel in the EU
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Reality of Life in Kosovo
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Military Cooperation
This year, after having been stationed in Kosovo since 1999, the Bundeswehr has initiated its withdrawal. The field hospital at the Prizren camp was already shut down at the beginning of the year. By the end of the year, German troops intend to have completely withdrawn from Prizren and transferred total control of the camp to the Kosovo government. Thereafter, German soldiers should only be active at KFOR headquarters in Pristina. According to the Bundeswehr, one focus of its activities will be “to promote the development of the KSF (Kosovo Security Forces, editor’s note) in harmony with NATO.”[11] The Bundeswehr has already provided Kosovo troops with material and vehicles – most recently 44 Wolf vehicles. The KSF, on the other hand, has begun participation in NATO combat exercises. After nearly 20 years of occupation, including by the Bundeswehr, the population languishes without a perspective of development. In Kosovo, there is but one thing that flourishes – military cooperation.
Full article: From the Bundeswehr’s Areas of Operation (I) (German Foreign Policy)
Global Geopolitics 