Will the election bring a new dawn to Kosovo

Danish diplomat Peter Sorensen, who is set to become the special representative of the EU for the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue starting on February 25, is expected to come up with a new strategy seeking practical results rather than engaging in frivolous discussions. Sorensen's success will also depend on his ability to foster trust between the parties and encourage mutually beneficial compromises. He is well-positioned to mediate complex issues, however, regardless of what Sorensen proposes, Serbia and Kosovo must be willing to engage with each other constructively. The daunting question is, how can both sides agree on anything when the central issue remains mutual recognition, to which Serbia is adamantly opposed?

There are several domestic and foreign challenges the new Kosovo government must focus on to meet the people's expectations:

Foreign relations

Although Kosovo's ultimate goal is to achieve mutual recognition with Serbia, this goal remains elusive. It will not be achieved unless both sides agree on a process of reconciliation that involves concrete steps on the ground.

The following measures must be taken to make some inroads toward mutual recognition:

First and foremost, the new government must improve its relations with the EU. Both sides must agree on every issue, especially regarding the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue and all security-related matters.

Second, the new government must honor the previous agreement and implement the Association of Serb Municipalities as long as it is consistent with Kosovo's constitution. Nothing in the constitution prohibits autonomy for the Serbian-dominated north.

Third, ties between Serbia and Kosovo should be enhanced through trade, cultural exchanges, joint efforts to address environmental problems, water distribution, increased tourism, and many other people-to-people interactions.

Fourth, Kosovo must make every effort to earn recognition from the five EU members-Spain, Cyprus, Slovakia, Romania, and Greece-who have not recognized it, which is a prerequisite for eventual EU membership.

Fifth, Kosovo must earn the support of the Trump administration by demonstrating a willingness to cooperate, especially regarding security and reducing tension with the predominantly Serbian municipalities.

Domestically

The new government should not be fixated on Serbia but focus on several domestic fronts, including weeding out corruption, ending nepotism, making it attractive to foreign investors (which will help create tens of thousands of jobs with higher wages), dramatically improving the healthcare system, making it more attractive for doctors and nurses to stay in the country, addressing the dire need to reduce pollution, investing in schools and universities that focus on technology and computer engineering, and embarking on an aggressive fight against organized crime.

Indeed, all these programs require significant funding, which can be generated from many sources, including: improving tax compliance, enhancing property tax, issuing bonds for infrastructure projects, receiving grants from the World Bank and additional loans and credit from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), focusing on green transition and private sector support, and developing sustainable development projects. In addition, receiving EU grants for schools and teacher training, getting further economic aid from the US for building new hospitals and green infrastructure, energy storage, and electric grids, especially for renewable energy, remittances from Kosovars working abroad, and expanding partnerships with private individuals.

To be sure, the new government will have its work cut out for it. Nevertheless, making significant progress would take commitment and consistent effort on all fronts. If Kurti wins and forms the new government, he should learn from his four years of experience. The question is, will he rise to the challenge?