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The Politics of Recognition and Engagement

EU Member State Relations with Kosovo

  • Book
  • © 2020

Overview

Editors:
  1. Ioannis Armakolas

    1. Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece

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  2. James Ker-Lindsay

    1. European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK

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  • Examines the levels of engagement between nine EU countries and Kosovo
  • Explores the concept of 'engagement without recognition’, gaining increasing interest in policy and academic circles
  • Draws on interviews with leading decision makers, newspaper and media sources, official papers

Part of the book series: New Perspectives on South-East Europe (NPSE)

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Table of contents (11 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xii
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  2. Kosovo, EU Member States and the Recognition-Engagement Nexus

    • James Ker-Lindsay, Ioannis Armakolas
    Pages 1-17

  3. Kosovo’s Strategy for Recognition and Engagement

    • Agon Demjaha
    Pages 19-40

  4. The United Kingdom: Kosovo’s Strongest Supporter in Europe

    • James Ker-Lindsay
    Pages 41-60

  5. Germany: From Cautious Recogniser to Kosovo’s Key EU Ally

    • Julia Himmrich
    Pages 61-82

  6. The Czech Republic: Kosovo’s Reluctant and Disengaged Recogniser

    • Tomáš Dopita
    Pages 83-102

  7. Poland: Recognition, but No Diplomatic Relations with Kosovo

    • Jarosław Wiśniewski
    Pages 103-122

  8. Greece: Kosovo’s Most Engaged Non-recogniser

    • Ioannis Armakolas
    Pages 123-146

  9. Slovakia: Diplomatically Engaged with Kosovo, but No Recognition

    • Milan Nič
    Pages 147-171

  10. Romania: Kosovo’s Cautious Non-recogniser

    • Paul Ivan
    Pages 173-192

  11. Cyprus: Firmly Committed to the Non-recognition of Kosovo

    • Isabelle Ioannides
    Pages 193-214

  12. Spain: Kosovo’s Strongest Opponent in Europe

    • Ruth Ferrero-Turrión
    Pages 215-235

  13. Back Matter

    Pages 237-245
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Keywords

About this book

This edited volume explores the different ways in which members of the European Union have interacted with Kosovo since it declared independence in 2008. While there is a tendency to think of EU states in terms of two distinct groups – those that have recognised Kosovo and those that have not – the picture is more complex. Taking into account also the quality and scope of their engagement with Kosovo, there are four broad categories of member states that can be distinguished: the strong and weak recognisers and the soft and hard non-recognisers. In addition to casting valuable light on the relations between various EU members and Kosovo, this book also makes an important contribution to the way in which the concepts of recognition and engagement, and their relationship to each other, are understood in academic circles and by policy makers.

Reviews

“This study is … a valuable handbook which explains in detail the individual paths of nine EU-member states in deciding whether or not to recognize Kosovo as well as in their relative engagement or non-engagement with independent Kosovo.” (Jolyon Naegele, Mezinárodní vztahy / Czech Journal of International Relations, Vol. 54 (4), 2019) “Kosovo‘s independence has been a divisive issue in Europe and beyond; it has been (and still is) used as precedent in cases of secessions – or annexation of territory, as in Ukraine. But what this book uniquely demonstrates is the link between foreign policy and domestic politics, which more often than ever drives the behaviour of European countries. It is this link, rather than international law or principles, that has shaped decisions to recognise, engage or ignore the Kosovo; it is also the factor that actually sets the pace of the Western Balkans‘ integration with the EU. The need to marry the domestic and the diplomatic is an inevitable fact of today‘s policy making, which the editors of this volume have very well demonstrated to the benefit of both practitioners and academic research.” (Vessela Tcherneva, Deputy Director, European Council on Foreign Relations )“For a country and region that not so long ago dominated the front pages, it is shocking how little is written about Kosovo and the Balkans today. For that reason alone this book would be a welcome addition to the canon. Beyond that, every chapter makes a serious contribution, not just to discussions about recognition and engagement, but also in providing fascinating insights into how and why the Kosovo question triggered such vastly different reactions, based on ideology, politics and history in each of the countries covered.” (Tim Judah, The Economist)

“This volume eloquently demonstrates that the traditional binary of state recognition versus nonrecognition is not only outdated but also fails to capture pragmatic forms of state recognition. Drawing on scholarly debates and policy knowledge, the book is essential reading for those who want an in-depth understanding of the spectrum of EU member states’ engagement with Kosovo. It is a persuasive invitation to rethink the politics of international recognition and rewrite our diplomatic vocabulary on statehood.” (Gëzim Visoka, Dublin City University, Ireland)

“A proper grasp of what constitutes recognition and engagement is essential for understanding the myriad status disputes and protracted conflicts over sovereignty around the world. Now that we have this compelling volume on the EU and Kosovo, no policy practitioner will be forgiven for simplifying this topic again.” (Thomas de Waal, Senior Fellow, Carnegie Europe)

Editors and Affiliations

  • Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Ioannis Armakolas

  • European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, UK

    James Ker-Lindsay

About the editors

Ioannis Armakolas is Assistant Professor at the Department of Balkan, Slavic and Oriental Studies, University of Macedonia, and Senior Research Fellow and Head of the South-East Europe Programme at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP), Greece.

James Ker-Lindsay is Visiting Professor at LSEE-Research on South East Europe at the European Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science, and Research Associate at the Centre for International Studies at Oxford University, UK.

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