The fact that the future status talks on Kosovo have been delayed until January 2006, plus discussions are ongoing within the European Union (EU) to take over certain functions from the United Nations, plus possibly expanding the role of the EU in Kosovo through judicial personnel all do not bode well cumulatively for the future independence of the disputed province. Kosovo?s citizenry had hoped to find out the final status of their province this year. There are growing signs of impatience with the international community, once their savior in 1999 via a NATO bombing campaign that reversed what many had seen as an ethnic cleansing and forced exodus campaign of ethnic Albanians by Serb authorities. To ethnic Albanians, who are the majority, nothing short of full independence from Serbia and Montenegro will be satisfactory. For the minority Serbs remaining in the province and the government of Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo is the ancestral home of the Serb people, and it should remain part of Serbia. Serbia is also better suited to protect the remaining Serbs who continue to reside there.

Initially, Kosovar Albanians were happy with the presence of the international community helping to rebuild their government, economy and institutions. But now, that help has begun to feel like a repressive yoke with the local economy in shambles, unemployment escalating, and frustration at the lack of national status for the past six years. Residents want to move on but feel stymied by the fact that while conflict is over, the international community has been reluctant to give their country back to them. Violence is on the upsurge in Kosovo. Even independence with international supervision would be a slap in the face. Although the UN is in disfavor, replacing it with the EU is also likely not to be met with great enthusiasm. While economic aid to help with unemployment might be welcomed, policing and judicial aid might be seen as another master taking over from local authorities who cannot be trusted with these duties. A more nuanced approach may work better. Whatever the outcome of EU or UN intervention, final status talks need to occur soon, and the outcome is sure to decide the future stability of this protectorate. Initial successes by the international community may soon be reversed unless a workable solution to the “Kosovo problem” is found, and all sides find the solution acceptable.

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