Garčević Comments on Rising Tensions in Kosovo
On June 5, 2023, Ambassador Vesko Garčević, Professor of the Practice of International Relations at Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies, was featured on Al Jazeera Global News to comment on the recent escalation in Kosovo. Tensions intensified a week ago when ethnic Serbs living in Northern Kosovo held violent protests and clashed with NATO-led peacekeepers.
Professor Garčević raised the hope that the EU and US effort will open room for new municipal elections with the full participation of Serbs living in Northern Kosovo. The Serbs’ participation heavily relies on Serbia’s position. It is, therefore, critical for the EU/US envoys to work with both sides to de-escalate the tensions, not just with Kosovo’s government. The Serbian boycott of Kosovo’s institutions is not a solution. Therefore, both sides should get sincerely engaged in the new negotiation process shaped by the new Franco-German plan and led by the EU.
Watch the full segment here.
Ambassador Vesko Garčević dealt with issues pertinent to European security and NATO for almost 14 years during his diplomatic career. In 2004, he was posted in Vienna to serve as Ambassador to Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. He was Montenegro’s Ambassador to NATO from 2010 until 2014 and served as Montenegro’s National Coordinator for NATO from 2015 until he joined the faculty at the Pardee School. Learn more about Ambassador Garčević on his faculty profile.