In an endeavor to explain the idea of “border changes” with Kosovo, which has caused serious clashes over the issue, Serbia’s head of state, Aleksandar Vučić, recently said “no one in the world knows where are the borders” of the country he is presiding, and that he himself with such a proposal was just trying to determine facts. Only several minutes later, Vučić sharply criticized the U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Kyle Scott, because he dared to say that “the Government in Priština is not ‘the so-called government’”. This game of his and his Kosovo counterpart Hashim Thaci drives the whole Western Balkans crazy.
According to one of the leading Serbian journalists and editor of foreign policy columns in Politika magazine, Boško Jakšić, the regional instability has been additionally strengthened not only by unsuccessful name-change referendum in Macedonia and recently held elections in B&H, but by a sleepy and inactive European Union (EU), incapable and non-interested in resolving numerous issues in the Western Balkans.
In his opinion, both Hashim Thaci and Aleksandar Vučić are in a quite a complicated situation. “Both say they’re ready to reach an agreement although offering solutions no one knows what they are about. What exactly does Vučić mean when proposing “a demarcation agreement” and what does Thaci mean when talking about “border correction” with Serbia? Whatever they mean, it’s obvious we’re far from the solution.”
Claims that Serbia-Kosovo border change deal would additionally stagger the Balkans are likely to be true, according to Jakšić.
He also reflected on Serbia’s possible NATO accession by stating that Vučić has no courage to implement this idea. He said: “No one from the region, not even Vučić, ever showed political courage and capacity like Milo Đukanović did. They all daydream about becoming Đukanović not only for his long grip on power, but for his unquestionable political ability, talents and achieved results. Regardless of all the efforts, we haven’t seen anyone close to Đukanović so far. After all, there’s no such person as Milo Đukanović, right?!”
