Political changes in Serbia should not create the illusion that Kosovo would be easier to process dialogue and negotiations with Belgrade. On the contrary, if we analyse the professional and academic composition of the Student List, we can find that Kosovo can face a new political elite, with high level of professional and scientific preparation.
It says: Kadriu Conversion
Researching the structure of the first 140 student list candidates, notes a considerable representation of professionals from different fields. According to the classification of declared professions, 64 candidates, or 45.7%, come from education and academy; 17, or 12.1%, from health, pharmacies and veterinatry; 12, or 8.6%, from legal fields; 9, or 6.4%, from engineering, architecture and technology; while 7, or 5%, from the economy, management and political sciences. The rest includes culture professionals, natural sciences, agriculture, sports and other areas.
These statistics prove a great concentration of professionals, especially academics, in the structure of this list. However, academic training should not be confused with political orientation. A university professor, a lawyer or an economist with high scientific preparation is not necessarily more willing to make political compromises, especially when it comes to sensitive issues such as relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
That’s my concern. In Kosovo, the impression may be given that changing the political elite in Serbia will automatically bring a more constructive approach to Kosovo. But such an assumption would be hasty. The change of political figures does not necessarily imply changing state positions, especially in relation to Kosovo’s independence and sovereignty.
In fact, a political team with high professional preparation may be more systematic in arguing, more organised in the negotiating process and more capable of using legal, economic and diplomatic instruments to protect its state interests. This does not mean that such an approach is inevitable, but it is an opportunity that Kosovo should seriously analyse.
Therefore, for Kosovo it should not only be crucial who leads Serbia, but what are the concrete positions of those taking responsibility for its governance. Before positive expectations are created, political programme, attitudes towards Kosovo and real readiness for normalisation of relations must be analysed.
Kosovo should not confuse political change in Serbia with changing Serbia’s policy towards Kosovo. Facing a potentially well prepared elite, the best answer is to strengthen our professional, diplomatic and negotiator capacities. Because it is not enough in diplomacy to be just; there is also a need for preparation, arguments, and strategy to protect it.
Source Layer: Insander