On Monday 22 April, President Atifete Jahjaga of the Republic of Kosovo gave a leadership lecture at the Blavatnik School of Government on ‘Kosovo’s Path to Statehood and its European Future’.
Speaking to an audience of high-ranking officials, faculty, staff and Master of Public Policy students, President Jahjaga outlined Kosovo’s journey to statehood and its efforts, with the help of the international community, to ensure a more secure, peaceful and democratic country. She is the first woman head of state to be elected in the Balkans, and the first non-partisan leader of Kosovo. She is also the first-ever head of state to visit the Blavatnik School of Government.
Putting the terrible years of conflict firmly in the past, the Balkans region is ‘now returning to European values after a long departure’, the President said. With the support of the international community, Kosovo has ‘found the strength to move beyond pain and hatred’.
As part of its efforts to further integration in a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society, all of Kosovo’s new institutions are inclusive, with each minority represented. This is essential for building trust. President Jahjaga explained that ‘Democracy…requires engagement by all layers of society…Kosovo is transforming itself into a country that contributes to global solutions’: one that embraces religious, cultural and ethnic diversity in spirit as well as in law.
We have ended the war and the hegemonic ideas in the Balkans,’ President Jahjaga said. ‘We have ended the violence and opted for dialogue and agreements’.
Still, many challenges and problems remain, and the President did not shy away from presenting them. Chief among these is the nascent country’s relationship with its neighbour, Serbia, from which Kosovo broke away in 2008. Late last week, the two countries, with the help of EU negotiators in Brussels, reached a long-awaited accord that will help them to continue normalising relations. However, Serbia has not yet recognised Kosovo’s independence, and many ethnic Serbians living in the north of Kosovo reject the authority of the government in Pristina. But despite these problems, the agreement is widely seen as a step away from the conflicts of the past.
Another problem facing Kosovo is corruption. President Jahjaga founded the National Anti-corruption Council to tackle the problem, and has placed herself at the centre of efforts to fight it: ‘We have no choice but to defeat this ill’. Joining international organisations would also be useful. For President Jahjaga, successfully combating crime of this nature cannot be done in isolation. Helping Kosovo join organisations such as Europol and Interpol would enormously benefit crime-fighting efforts.
President Jahjaga ended her lecture with a strong statement on the role of women in her country and around the world. As the first elected female leader in Kosovo and the Balkans, she is a symbol of how far women have come in a traditionally male-dominated society. ‘Gender equality’, she said, ‘should no longer be up for discussion. It should not be a global issue…no society will prosper without recognition of this human right’.
MPP student Ntokozo Vilakazi found the President impressive and inspirational. ‘I was especially moved by how she appeared to be extremely erudite and shrewd in the way that she approached her work, while embodying grace and warmth when she interacted with the students’, Ms Vilakazi said. ‘The lecture was very enjoyable and informative, and I found it to be an open and balanced summary of Kosovo's struggles and victories on its journey thus far’.
Rafat Al-Akhali, another student on the course, agreed: ‘President Jahjaga's lecture provided valuable insights into the unique process of state-building in the 21st century. It was very intriguing to learn how the leadership and the people of Kosovo are managing multiple transitions at once: from dictatorship to democracy, from a centrally-controlled economy to an open market, and from isolation to complete openness towards the European Union and the international community’.
