"Serbia must restore diplomatic relations”

Ivan Vejvoda says that Serbia needs to restore "full diplomatic, political and economic contact with the world". The director of the Balkan Fund for Democracy told B92 that Serbia "cannot allow itself to cut the branch it is sitting on and abandon meetings at which Serbia’s future is being discussed". "Serbia must restore diplomatic relations” Serbia has withdrawn ambassadors from the countries that recognized Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence. Belgrade has declared this declaration illegal. “When we talk about the dangers of isolation and self-isolation, we are talking in the economic sense, and that is a very serious issue because that is the way the world works,” said Vejvoda. He added that “economy and politics are tied very closely.” The analyst added that Serbia is "very important geopolitically" and that it will "not be stable or peaceful until it takes its place within the European Union". “Kosovo is a protectorate and still under Resolution 1244, and even if the EU takes over a large part of the protectorate, that will be a situation that will last five to ten years with the presence of 16,000 NATO soldiers,” he said. Vejvoda continued that the idea of Serbia calling for the UN General Assembly to ask for a ruling from the International Court of Justice regarding the unilateral declaration could be useful, but that the "long-term goals of Serbia’s diplomacy after the General Assembly in September must be taken into consideration". He said that "more and more countries will slowly recognize Kosovo’s independence, even if those who thought the recognition process would be faster have been proved wrong". "Kosovo independence is a great challenge, not only for Serbia but for the whole world and similar situations and challenges in other countries," he said.

"Serbia must restore diplomatic relations”

Serbia has withdrawn ambassadors from the countries that recognized Kosovo Albanians' unilateral declaration of independence. Belgrade has declared this declaration illegal.

“When we talk about the dangers of isolation and self-isolation, we are talking in the economic sense, and that is a very serious issue because that is the way the world works,” said Vejvoda.

He added that “economy and politics are tied very closely.”

The analyst added that Serbia is "very important geopolitically" and that it will "not be stable or peaceful until it takes its place within the European Union".

“Kosovo is a protectorate and still under Resolution 1244, and even if the EU takes over a large part of the protectorate, that will be a situation that will last five to ten years with the presence of 16,000 NATO soldiers,” he said.

Vejvoda continued that the idea of Serbia calling for the UN General Assembly to ask for a ruling from the International Court of Justice regarding the unilateral declaration could be useful, but that the "long-term goals of Serbia’s diplomacy after the General Assembly in September must be taken into consideration".

He said that "more and more countries will slowly recognize Kosovo’s independence, even if those who thought the recognition process would be faster have been proved wrong".

"Kosovo independence is a great challenge, not only for Serbia but for the whole world and similar situations and challenges in other countries," he said.