2019 was a year to forget for the Western Balkan countries. As we enter 2020, old problems prevail. The region suffers from many socio-economic and political problems. It has witnessed some relative progress overall, but this progress was not rewarded by the European Union, leaving the region in a hopeless situation.

The 20th anniversary of the NATO campaign in Kosovo, which led to the beginning of a long process of state-building, was recently commemorated. Yet it is worth recalling what led to the campaign and understanding the lessons of its aftermath which are very much relevant today.
In 1999, NATO launched an 11-week air-campaign to halt the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Kosovo. The intervention in Kosovo is arguably one of the most important events in contemporary history. It was the first time NATO operated outside its territory and the first sustained use of force since its establishment in 1949. Furthermore, it was the first time that force was used to enforce UN Security Council resolutions for the purpose of halting crimes against humanity.

In November 2005, the Contact Group for Kosovo (comprising of the US, the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Russia) stated that there would be no partitioning of the territory of Kosovo, no return of the situation to as it was in 1999, and no unification of Kosovo with any other country.

The extent of Turkey's influence in Kosovo reached a new milestone with the swift extradition of its citizens.

The Balkans need the EU and vice versa, because the map of Europe is not complete without the region. The sluggish progress it had made is at risk. The best and only alternative for the Western Balkans is cooperation among the neighboring states while maintaining a continuous pathway towards EU membership.