Serwer on Biden: He will return to traditional American policy in the Balkans

SARAJevo, (Patria) - Professor at Washington's "Johns Hopkins" University, Daniel Serwer, stated that he believes there will be major changes in American foreign policy with the arrival of the new administration and that future President Joseph Biden will return to a more traditional American policy in the Balkans.

"This means supporting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, including Kosovo, Serbia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but it does not mean that the future government will ignore all the moves of the Trump administration," Serwer told Voice of America.

According to him, Washington will stick to the idea that relations between Serbia and Kosovo should be normalized, and may try to further work on economic normalization, within which the agreement signed by the Trump administration in September at the White House is a small step in the right direction.

"It is known that, fundamentally, all Balkan countries are committed to the so-called mini-Schengen, and I think it will be easier for Kosovo and Serbia to achieve economic normalization if all Balkan countries do so, meaning if it is not based solely on a bilateral basis," Serwer said.

Serwer adds that he also expects encouragement for reaching a political agreement between Serbia and Kosovo based on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the two states, but points out that he is not sure if this is achievable.

"Frankly speaking, I think Aleksandar Vučić has made it quite clear that he does not want to be the president of Serbia who will recognize Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, and that is what is needed for real normalization. If he is not ready for that, this aspect will be postponed to the great disappointment of the Kosovo authorities," says Serwer.

When asked if he believes that Serbia and Kosovo could reach an agreement in the next few months, as announced by high-ranking officials of the European Union, Serwer says that diplomats are paid to be optimistic, but he is not.

"I am not sure who in the US this task could be entrusted to in the next few months. The formation of a new administration will take until spring, and this process will not go easily, so I think it will take more time for everyone. A good agreement needs to be reached, and at this moment, it may not be possible yet," said Serwer.