Bulgaria opposes Kosovo partition

ivaylo Kalfin says Bulgaria decided to recognize Kosovo in order to ensure the entire region’s progress towards EU integration. “Bulgaria decided to recognize Kosovo’s independence because without an agreement between Belgrade and Pristina, the situation would be very bad. We can now just fix the damage and limit the negative effects,” the Bulgarian foreign minister told daily Novosti, adding that the Ahtisaari Plan must be implemented throughout Kosovo. Bulgaria opposes Kosovo partition He said that it had been a mistake to completely separate Kosovo politically from Serbia in the past, while it had still been a UN protectorate. “If we make the same mistake now with the northern part of Kosovo in relation to Pristina, then will press a very dangerous switch concerning the changing of borders. The north needs to participate in Kosovo’s political life, and the Kosovo Serbs need to be active players in the Kosovo political scene. Every division on ethnic lines would be dangerous for the region and for Serbia in the future,” Kalfin predicted. The minister reiterated that all the Balkan countries had territories which were populated by minority communities. “If we allow the secession of northern Kosovo, then we will have a lot of problems and violence. I think that Ahtisaari’s plan is very good in terms of protecting the Serbs and allowing them to protect their rights. At the same time, it enables them to have Serbian citizenship, so it is a form of double protection. And through them, Serbia can, in some way, be present in Kosovo,” he said. Kalfin said that the EU should not interfere in the Serbian election campaign, but that a clear signal should be given that the Union’s doors were still open wide. “If Serbia chooses a European path, it can catch up with all the other countries in the region that are currently ahead of it and can, very quickly, right after Croatia, become a member of the EU,” the minister ventured. Commenting on claims that some countries linked Serbia’s entry into the Union with Kosovo, Kalfin said that it “has not occurred to any serious politician in the EU, and linking Kosovo with Serbia’s European integration is only being done by certain Serbian politicians.” “Serbia’s European integration has nothing to do with Kosovo. Moreover, the EU does not want to do anything that would appear as if it were linking the Kosovo question with Serbia’s European integration,” he insisted.

Bulgaria opposes Kosovo partition

He said that it had been a mistake to completely separate Kosovo politically from Serbia in the past, while it had still been a UN protectorate.

“If we make the same mistake now with the northern part of Kosovo in relation to Priština, then will press a very dangerous switch concerning the changing of borders. The north needs to participate in Kosovo’s political life, and the Kosovo Serbs need to be active players in the Kosovo political scene. Every division on ethnic lines would be dangerous for the region and for Serbia in the future,” Kalfin predicted.

The minister reiterated that all the Balkan countries had territories which were populated by minority communities.

“If we allow the secession of northern Kosovo, then we will have a lot of problems and violence. I think that Ahtisaari’s plan is very good in terms of protecting the Serbs and allowing them to protect their rights. At the same time, it enables them to have Serbian citizenship, so it is a form of double protection. And through them, Serbia can, in some way, be present in Kosovo,” he said.

Kalfin said that the EU should not interfere in the Serbian election campaign, but that a clear signal should be given that the Union’s doors were still open wide.

“If Serbia chooses a European path, it can catch up with all the other countries in the region that are currently ahead of it and can, very quickly, right after Croatia, become a member of the EU,” the minister ventured.

Commenting on claims that some countries linked Serbia’s entry into the Union with Kosovo, Kalfin said that it “has not occurred to any serious politician in the EU, and linking Kosovo with Serbia’s European integration is only being done by certain Serbian politicians.”

“Serbia’s European integration has nothing to do with Kosovo. Moreover, the EU does not want to do anything that would appear as if it were linking the Kosovo question with Serbia’s European integration,” he insisted.