Balkan instability: what to expect from an independent Kosovo

Abstract

For  centuries,  Serbs  and  Albanians  have disputed  a  land  where  the  civilization  andethnic border stood, separating two peoples.Each part tried to create “representations” totake hold of exclusive history and legitimacyof   Kosovo.   Both   sides   have   alwaysconsidered its own presence as a sacred andundisputable  fact.  Each  field  has  benefited systematically   from   the   total   popularapproval to promote violent actions againstthe  opposite  side  and  to  take  –  or  retake  -possession of the coveted “national cradle”,supported by the feeling of ownership thatmoved them, either in relation to the islamic-otoman  civilization  and  the shqipétare for the Albanians, or in relation to the Slavonic-orthodox  civilization  for  the  Serbs.  Therecent   proclamation   of   independence   inKosovo reraises the strong ethnic-religiousantagonisms in the Balkans, as it increasesthe risks of a new conflict in the very heart ofthe European continent. This essay shows thehistorical evolution of the events that endedup  in  the  present  crisis  between  Serbs  andAlbanian-Kosovars,   contributing   to   theemergence   of   new   possible   areas   ofinstability   in   the   European   geopoliticalscenario   and   of   probable   negative consequences for the United Nations.