Kosovo squeezing its way into European Community
Tags: World <http://english.ruvr.ru/world/> , Kosovo <http://english.ruvr.ru/tag_2463871/> , Commentary <http://english.ruvr.ru/comments/> , Politics <http://english.ruvr.ru/politics/> Pyotr Iskenderov Aug 19, 2010 17:41 Moscow Time The European Commission has officially supported Kosovo’s bid for gaining membership in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). “Pristina’s membership in the EBRD will be a very important step forward, following Kosovo’s admission into the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) last year, the European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Policy Olli Rehn said in Brussels. Olli Rehn has made a statement to the effect on the results of his talks in Brussels with the Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Kosovo Ahmet Shala. The latter said: “We’re very optimistic about Kosovo’s gaining the votes, which are necessary for becoming a member of an influential institution - such as the EBRD.” Explaining his optimism by the recent ruling of the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ), which proved favourable for Pristina, Mr. Shala stressed that the “circumstances had improved and that many countries had sent positive signals”. There’s no doubt that gaining membership in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is as important for Kosovo as Pristina’s similar status in the World Bank and in the International Monetary Fund. Meaning the realization by the Kosovo authorities of the so-called “creeping” strategy, aimed at turning Pristina into a full and equal member of the international communities, if not de jure, then de facto. Understanding perfectly well that as a result of Russia’s tough stand, Kosovo’s chances to join the United Nations are very slim, its authorities are searching for other ways. And it is not by chance that active efforts are being made to implement, as soon as possible, a number of projects providing for the construction of modern transport corridors via Kosovo, including first of all the main line leading to the seaport of Durres in Albania on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. Such projects fit in well into the general strategy of the European Union and enable both Pristina and Tirana, which supports it in every way possible, to show their worth as Brussels’ active partners, as Expert with the Institute of Slavic Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Karasev stressed in an interview for the Voice of Russia. "We’re ready to help our Kosovar brothers, Albania says. We’re ready to get involved in the construction of a road leading from Kosovo to Durres in the northern part of the country. This is a big seaport, which EU officials could use to arrive in Kosovo. Besides, it is equally good for the transportation of goods, products, and the like. A similar situation is emerging around Pristina’s bid for membership in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. In its programme documents the EBRD positions itself as an “international financial organization” and as the “biggest investor in the region” – that is why economic, not politico-legal terms, should be used to interpret Kosovo’s admission. And this will be done for the development of the Balkan Region at large." But the main thing here is this: the current situation reflects very well the European Union’s policy in relation to the Kosovo problem. Under the conditions when five out of the 27 EU member-states, including Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Romania, and Slovakia, refuse to recognize Kosovo’s independence, the green light is given to Pristina’s integration into various financial-economic, infrastructural and other projects. Such a turn of events gives a certain freedom of action to Serbia too since Serbia is very much interested in cooperation with the European Union and in the economic development of the Balkan Region. However, such a status -quo will remain until Brussels decides that it’s high time that the issue dealing with the recognition of Kosovo in exchange for membership in the European Union be put point-blank before Belgrade http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/08/19/16458800.html [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
