Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians believe Kosovo’s UDI endangers the Balkans
The majority of Serbs, Montenegrins and Macedonians believe that Kosovo’s unilateral declaration of independence has a negative impact on the stability of the Balkans, while the opposite view is being held by the majority of Albanians, Croats and Bosnian Muslims, a Gallup Europe poll has shown
(KosovoCompromise Staff) Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The poll also showed that 60 percent of Serbia's citizens believe that Belgrade will never recognize Kosovo's independence, while the majority of Kosovo Serbs consider that peaceful coexistence with Kosovo Albanians is now impossible.
In Serbia, 74 percent of the polled see Kosovo's UDI as negative for the region's stability, while eight percent see it positively.
In Montenegro, 44 percent have a negative view, while 20 percent have a positive view.
In Bosnia-Herzegovina, 44 percent see Kosovo's UDI in a negative light, while 27 see it in a positive one. However, at the level of Republika Srpska 90 percent have a negative view, while in the Muslim-Croat federation 60 percent have a positive view.
In Macedonia, there are 47 percent of negative views and 42 positive ones. However, in this case also, the views are ethnically split with 87 percent of Albanians being positive and only 17 percent of Macedonians believing so.
In Croatia, there were 38 percent of positive views and 30 percent of negative ones.
The largest support to the independence of Kosovo was shown in Kosovo itself and in Albania.
In Kosovo, 89 percent were positive and seven percent were negative. Not a single Kosovo Serbs gave a positive view.
In Albania, there were 92 percent positive views and only two percent negative ones.
"In the majority of countries, except in Albania and Kosovo, those polled are sceptical about the role of the independence of Kosovo in reaching peace and reconciliation in the region", Gallup concluded in its analysis of the results.
Ethnic Macedonians are most pessimistic in terms of possibility of a new conflict in the region, with 36 percent of them considering this to be possible.
Some 22 of those polled in Serbia and 21 percent in Republika Srpska shared this view.
