Athens denies Kosovo PMs statement that it’s closer to recognising independence

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti said that Greece is closer to recognising Kosovo’s independence, taking the lead among the five EU member states that do not recognise it, but Athens told EURACTIV that nothing has changed.

Greece, Slovakia, Romania, Spain, and Cyprus do not recognise Kosovo’s independence, unilaterally declared in 2008 following the 1998-1999 war with Serbia, of which it was a former province.

Speaking on Polish television on Sunday, Kurti said, “We have worked hard in the diplomatic aspect so that they join the majority of the EU countries. Greece is at the forefront of these countries, which is closer to recognising Kosovo’s independence. This is also shown by the status of our Office in Athens.”

Greece has a UNMIK-accredited Liaison Office in Pristina, while Athens has a Kosovo Economic and Commercial Affairs Office. In 2021, it was upgraded to an Office of Interest, and while it cannot fly the Kosovo flag outside, it can issue visas. Athens also recognises Kosovo-issued passports.

But when asked by EURACTIV about Kurti’s statement, a Greek government source commented, “The Greek position has remained unchanged.”

Rumours have swirled for some months that Greece could be next to recognise Kosovo. In March of this year, Greek Foreign Minister at the time Nikos Dendias visited Kosovo for the sixth time, meeting with Kosovar President Vjosa Osmani.

In a statement, the head of state praised Greece’s dedication and ongoing support for visa liberalisation and Euro-Atlantic integration in Kosovo.

“The meeting also covered Kosovo-Greece relations, on which President Osmani showed readiness to strengthen the further bilateral relationship,” the Kosovo presidency stated in a press release at the time.

But days later, during a visit to Serbia, Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said that nothing would change.

“There is always pressure at the diplomatic level, but this has not affected our position; we have consistency in politics,” Sakellaropoulou said after meeting Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

However, when Kosovo applied for membership in the Council of Europe, the Strasbourg-based human rights body, the first step of the application process received 33 out of 46 votes in favour, with Greece abstaining from the vote.

Greece’s abstention prompted the reaction of the main opposition Syriza party, which accused the conservative government of not having discussed the “new position” with other political forces. The opposition also stated that the move also weakened the role of mediator that Greece should have in the region.

Slovakia also abstained, and both were interpreted as a softening or potential change of stance from the two countries.

In the case of Greece, a high-ranking official from the Serbian foreign ministry told EURACTIV last January that the Mediterranean country has been, in the last years, one of the “lightest” supporters among non-recognisers when it comes to Kosovo.

He added that Kosovo applied for European Union membership in December 2022, although there are five members that do not currency recognise it. Despite this, he reiterated the country’s EU perspective.

“With the EU, we have signed the contractual Stabilisation and Association Agreement and since the Thessaloniki Summit in 2003, the perspective of the integration of the Western Balkans into the EU has become a policy of the European Union. We will become part of the EU as soon as possible, and we think that the EU integration process serves our country.”

Meanwhile, in his interview with Polish media, Kurti said that Kosovo fulfils the values, standards, and principles of the bloc, and “we need the help of the countries that have recognised us to recognise the countries that do not recognise us.”

Kurti said this is 22 of the 27 EU members, 26 of the 30 NATO countries and 34 of the 46 Council of Europe countries nodding to aspirations to join other international organisations.

“Our inclusion in the EU does not only serve our interest and our wellbeing because we also want to contribute. The European Union is the most important historical and political project for peace and prosperity since the Second World War”, he added.

(Alice Taylor | EURACTIV.com – Sarantis Michalopoulos contributed to the story)