Kosovo : after independence, autonomy

Although the supervised independence of Kosovo is completed, it is difficult to speak of a functioning state and a democracy, writes the French "Le Monde". Independent Kosovo remains practically divided into two parts, the Serbian parallel structures are ubiquitous, and the dialogue with the Serbian government has stalled, says the author.

(Christophe Solioz, Le Monde.fr) Friday, September 14, 2012

Closure of the International Civilian Office in Kosovo on 10 September 2012. marks the end of international supervision. Well, almost. NATO forces will remain as the European civil mission EULEX, which has since 2008. The charge to promote the rule of law. The transition to full sovereignty will be gradual. Let's look closely.

Even if it is wrong to interpret the meaning of the word, it is difficult to speak of a functioning state and democracy in Kosovo. As before, the last elections were marked by fraud and corruption is proven that extends to the highest levels of government. De facto independent Kosovo remains divided into two parts, Serbian parallel structures are ubiquitous, and the dialogue with the Serbian government is stalling .

Of course, given the situation in the summer of 1999. years, this is no longer the same country. For satisfactory balance in Kosovo may have a greater responsibility of the international community, but the Kosovo Albanian authorities.

Relative growth is explained by the process of reconstruction after the 1999 conflict. , the Kosovar diaspora money and official development assistance. However, the economic situation is worrying to say the least - while revenues decline, the deficit continued to grow. However, the provincial authorities have increased public spending, "forgetting" the need to consolidate public finances.

How to explain the impasse in which Kosovo is today? The lesson that is too often forgotten is that "no one likes armed missionaries" (Robespierre) and that democracy can not be exported or at least not to a great extent. There is also a sad fact that the strategy of the international community seems consistently one-sided, one-dimensional, Greek crisis gives us a new image.

While the intervention program applied stricter criteria, with the sole result of "dependency syndrome", the concept of partnership and ownership autonomous not dependent on fantasy. Mirror effect, "local players" have a good opportunity to shift the responsibility to "external players" to create consensus and economy of a policy which is based on real reform. In addition to Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina confirms this view.

This systemic problem is certainly virtue of difficulty interpreting reality that a society is perceived as "different" and "strange." However, more important is that it is a wrong conception of the historic district, "hide the institutional dimensions of society and the attribution of origin and a meaning institutions that she wears in a particular social source", as Cornelius Castoriadis well spotted.

Like any society, like every state, Kosovo can not run away from your responsibilities. In this sense, society itself institutions autokreacija. In fact, "autonomy is possible only if society recognizes itself as the source of its own principles," he says Castoriadis. Kosovo still needs to meet the challenge of autonomy.