“Cantonal division of Kosovo is solution”

The Modern Peace and Conflict Studies founder Johan Galtung said that "Serbia, Kosovo and Albania will form a confederation". According to the 79-year-old Norwegian mathematician, sociologists and international mediator in some 40 conflicts around the world, such a scenario will come to pass in the next 50 years, writes Belgrade daily Politika. “Cantonal division of Kosovo is solution” Galtung said that the future of Kosovo lies arranging the territory according to the cantonal Swiss model. He said that a majority of the cantons would be Albanian, while at least three would be Serb – one around Pristina, and two in the north. “In the Serb cantons, the administration would work completely towards the Serbian idiom. If the Serb cantons were to stay within the 'Republic of Kosovo' and start opening themselves towards Serbia, it can be expected that the Albanian cantons would open themselves towards Albania,” he said. “I believe that in the next 50 years, there will be a formation of a confederation of Serbia, Kosovo and Albania in the Balkans, where everyone will be able to join the European Union, like countries of the Benelux, or maybe there will be a group such as the association of the Nordic countries, where some are members of the Brussels family and some are not,” Galtung said. He added that it is "logical for Serbia to join the European Union". “Although Serbia is a European country anyway, it does not have the power and tradition of Switzerland to remain outside the European Union,” this expert believes.

“Cantonal division of Kosovo is solution”

Galtung said that the future of Kosovo lies arranging the territory according to the cantonal Swiss model.

He said that a majority of the cantons would be Albanian, while at least three would be Serb – one around Priština, and two in the north.

“In the Serb cantons, the administration would work completely towards the Serbian idiom. If the Serb cantons were to stay within the 'Republic of Kosovo' and start opening themselves towards Serbia, it can be expected that the Albanian cantons would open themselves towards Albania,” he said.

“I believe that in the next 50 years, there will be a formation of a confederation of Serbia, Kosovo and Albania in the Balkans, where everyone will be able to join the European Union, like countries of the Benelux, or maybe there will be a group such as the association of the Nordic countries, where some are members of the Brussels family and some are not,” Galtung said.

He added that it is "logical for Serbia to join the European Union".

“Although Serbia is a European country anyway, it does not have the power and tradition of Switzerland to remain outside the European Union,” this expert believes.