A crisis for which nobody is prepared
A military intervention by Serbia into Kosovo would be the biggest upset to the political order in the Balkans since the Yugoslav Wars of the 1990s, with consequences that few have considered. Not only would such action do damage within Serbia, but neighbouring states and other powers could see similar repercussions as well. Even though such a scenario is not a certainty, these consequences must be considered.
The year 2008 is one that is singed into the mind of Serbs, both in Serbia and abroad. In February of that year, the Autonomous Province of Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. To the outrage of Serbs across the world, a part of the country regarded as integral to the Serbian identity itself left with minimal resistance and effort being made by the Serbian government. Since then, the question of Kosovo remains one of the most important political issues both within Serbia and major nations involved in the political order of the Balkans.
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September 17, 2024 -
Stefan Mandic
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AnalysisIssue 5 2024Magazine
Serbian guard soildiers lined for a military parade in Belgrade, Serbia. Photo: Dragan Mujan/Shutterstock
Kosovo, Serbia, Serbia-Kosovo relations, Western Balkans