The project aims to analyse and draw conclusions from developments in Kosovo's civil society after the 1999 war, and to provide recommendations for future development. Between 1989, when Milošević seized power, and 1997, when the first armed clashes began in Kosovo, a powerful peaceful movement, guided by a spirit of civil society, resisted Serbian state repression. It is not exaggerated to argue that Kosovo's society resembled a massive civil society movement. Yet, with the beginning of the first armed clashes in 1997, this spirit began to diminish, and completely vanished by the end of the war, leaving space for the most brutal ethnic cleansing. Between the end of the war and the establishment of international administration (1999-2008), and Kosovo's Declaration of Independence (February 2008), there were various efforts, particularly by international actors, to (re)build civil society, but they did not produce the desired results, probably largest failure in the country's democratisation process. The primary purpose of our research is to establish the main reasons for this failure. Our focus will be on how the Kosovar political elite's manipulations of the ‘big national issues' (e.g. Kosovo's independence and recognition, obstructions caused by Serbia's involvement in Kosovo's political process) contributed to the ultimate failure to build vibrant, pro-active and sustainable civil society structures. Arguing that this slowed down and weakened the democratic transition process, we will also propose ways and means on how to avoid this serious problem in the future.
Project leader: Ms Remzije Istrefi
Contact: Mr Mentor Agani (mentoragani@yahoo.com)