Prime Minister Albin Kurti’s participation in the Paris Peace Forum gives Kosovo an opportunity to present its political and security challenges on the international stage. This was said by political affairs analyst Ali Hertica, who also spoke about Kosovo’s efforts to gain recognition, the attack in Banjska and the impact of dialogue with Serbia on the region.
Speaking to “Bota Sot,” Hertica described the forum as a platform for strengthening international cooperation and promoting multilateralism. He said it was important for Kosovo to take part in discussions on global and regional developments.
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He said the forum’s theme, “From Sovereignty to Cooperation,” encompasses various aspects of cooperation between states. Hertica said that being in Paris gives Kosovo the opportunity to make the difficulties it faces known.
Hertica called on Kosovo’s diplomacy to continue efforts to secure recognition of its independence from the five European Union countries that still do not recognize Kosovo. He does not believe their position will necessarily block the country’s European integration.
As an example, he cited the Stabilisation and Association Agreement: the five states agreed to its signing, even though they had not recognized Kosovo’s independence. To make progress on recognition, he said, sustained diplomatic efforts, political arguments and cooperation with international partners are needed to ensure that recognizing Kosovo is seen as a contribution to regional stability and security.
Referring to Kurti’s call for Serbia to be held accountable for the attack in Banjska and to hand over Milan Radoičić, Hertica described the case as one of the most important and sensitive issues in Kosovo-Serbia relations.
He said the trial of the three men accused of the attack, who were convicted at first instance in April by the Basic Court in Pristina, was an important legal step. However, he said, responsibility for the incident does not end with the individuals directly involved.
Hertica recalled that the indictment filed by Pristina’s justice institutions describes Serbia as the state sponsor of the attack. He stressed that the case of the suspected organizer, Milan Radoičić, and the question of Serbia’s alleged state responsibility remain unresolved. Kosovo’s institutions can try and convict members of the armed group, but those two matters fall outside their jurisdiction, he explained.
Hertica criticized Belgrade’s stance on the case as reflecting a lack of willingness to cooperate. He said Serbia is refusing to prosecute suspects on its territory and to address the evidence presented by Kosovo.
For this reason, he urged Kosovo to keep Banjska on the international agenda and ask its partners to ensure that responsibility for the attack is not limited to those convicted in Kosovo.
On the dialogue, Hertica said that normalizing relations between Kosovo and Serbia would continue to affect political and security developments in the region. But, he said, the process cannot move forward by setting aside security and accountability for actions that undermine Kosovo’s sovereignty.
Hertica said the Banjska case highlights an imbalance in the dialogue: Kosovo can bring people on its territory to justice, while Serbia is taking no action against suspects on its own territory. In this context, he said, Kurti’s calls in Paris for Serbia to be held accountable and to hand over Radoičić should be considered part of a broader international process.
Hertica concluded that the dialogue should address not only the reaching of political agreements, but also their implementation, respect for sovereignty and the security of the region.
