New Majorities and Minorities in the Changing Balkans - Project on ...

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PREFACEDur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> last decade <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Balkans</strong> new <strong>in</strong>terethnic dynamics havebeen created by various regional settlements. Many of <strong>the</strong>se settlementsnot only changed <strong>the</strong> dynamics but created new ethnic majorities <strong>and</strong>m<strong>in</strong>orities. Overnight former ethnic m<strong>in</strong>orities became majorities. Thisnew set of circumstances requires changes <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> way <strong>the</strong>se societies aregoverned. This is especially true for Kosovo, <strong>the</strong> status of which <strong>the</strong><strong>in</strong>ternational community is determ<strong>in</strong>ed to resolve <strong>in</strong> 2007.These factors <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> tim<strong>in</strong>g prompted <strong>the</strong> <strong>Project</strong> on Ethnic Relations(PER) to organize <strong>in</strong> cooperation with <strong>the</strong> Hungarian M<strong>in</strong>istry ofForeign Affairs <strong>and</strong> with <strong>the</strong> support of <strong>the</strong> U.S. State Department througha USAID grant, <strong>in</strong> Budapest on December 2-3, 2006, a regional roundtableof political leaders from Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe. This regional roundtablediscussion, <strong>the</strong> eighth such endeavor organized by PER between2000-2006 was titled <strong>New</strong> <strong>Majorities</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>M<strong>in</strong>orities</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Chang<strong>in</strong>g<strong>Balkans</strong>. The meet<strong>in</strong>g brought toge<strong>the</strong>r political leaders, decision-makers<strong>and</strong> officials from <strong>the</strong> region, <strong>the</strong> U.S. State Department, <strong>the</strong> EuropeanUnion, <strong>the</strong> Council of Europe, <strong>and</strong> OSCE to discuss <strong>the</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g dynamicsof <strong>in</strong>terethnic relations <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> area as <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>ternational communityprepares to resolve <strong>the</strong> issue of Kosovo’s status.One of <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> purposes of <strong>the</strong> roundtable was to encourage <strong>the</strong>region’s policy makers to th<strong>in</strong>k constructively about <strong>the</strong> new reality thatis be<strong>in</strong>g created <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> region dur<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> last decade by various <strong>Balkans</strong>ettlements <strong>and</strong> about changes <strong>in</strong> policies that this new reality requires.The participants shared <strong>the</strong>ir experiences on <strong>in</strong>terethnic governance <strong>and</strong>debated whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>in</strong>terethnic models are applicable across borders orParticipants <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> roundtable.From left to right: Imer Selmani, Jozef<strong>in</strong>aTopalli, K<strong>in</strong>ga Goncz, Livia Plaks, GabrielaKonevska Trajkovska, <strong>and</strong> Zoran Loncar.1
whe<strong>the</strong>r each country ought to develop its own model: Hungary,Macedonia, Montenegro <strong>and</strong> Romania as well as o<strong>the</strong>r countries <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>region have found <strong>the</strong>ir own answers for <strong>in</strong>terethnic accommodation.The participants from <strong>the</strong>se countries shared <strong>the</strong>se “models” with <strong>the</strong>o<strong>the</strong>r participants. Could <strong>the</strong>re be a lesson <strong>in</strong> it for o<strong>the</strong>r countries <strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> region? There was a strong consensus among <strong>the</strong> participants that<strong>the</strong> multiethnic character of <strong>the</strong> population must be reflected <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><strong>in</strong>stitutions, policies <strong>and</strong> practices of <strong>the</strong> Balkan states.Two issues dom<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>the</strong> discussion: Kosovo’s future status <strong>and</strong> relationsbetween so-called mo<strong>the</strong>r countries <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir ethnic k<strong>in</strong> liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>neighbor<strong>in</strong>g states. Not surpris<strong>in</strong>gly, <strong>the</strong>re were disagreements aboutwhat <strong>the</strong> future status of Kosovo should look like but <strong>the</strong>re was generalagreement that <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>tegration of m<strong>in</strong>orities would be of paramountimportance under any status outcome. The <strong>in</strong>tegration of <strong>the</strong> Serbs, <strong>the</strong>Roma, <strong>and</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>in</strong>to Kosovo’s life was considered as one of <strong>the</strong> biggestchallenges of post-status Kosovo. On <strong>the</strong> subject of mo<strong>the</strong>r countries <strong>the</strong>participants debated <strong>the</strong> issue of limitations to <strong>the</strong> responsibilities ofsuch countries for <strong>the</strong>ir ethnic k<strong>in</strong> liv<strong>in</strong>g outside <strong>the</strong>ir borders <strong>and</strong> howmuch loyalty, if any, do <strong>the</strong>se ethnic k<strong>in</strong> have to exhibit to <strong>the</strong>ir mo<strong>the</strong>rcountries <strong>and</strong> whe<strong>the</strong>r loyalty to one’s native country is more important.The participants also discussed how to help ethnic moderates to implement<strong>the</strong>ir programs <strong>and</strong> to stay <strong>in</strong> power.We would like to thank <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>ister of Foreign Affairs of Hungary, Dr.K<strong>in</strong>ga Goncz, for her <strong>in</strong>terest <strong>and</strong> participation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> roundtable. Wealso would like to show deep appreciation for <strong>the</strong> assistance given to PER<strong>in</strong> organiz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> roundtable by diplomats from <strong>the</strong> M<strong>in</strong>istry of ForeignAffairs of Hungary, particularly by Oszkar Nikowitz, Andor David, <strong>and</strong><strong>the</strong> staff of <strong>the</strong> Hungarian consular offices <strong>in</strong> Serbia, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g Kosovo,<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong> Macedonia.I would also like to thank PER staff <strong>in</strong> Pr<strong>in</strong>ceton <strong>and</strong> our representatives<strong>in</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe for <strong>the</strong>ir hard work <strong>in</strong> plann<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> organiz<strong>in</strong>gthis roundtable. Special thanks go to <strong>the</strong> U.S. State Department <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>U.S. Agency for International Development for mak<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> project possible.Professor Steven Burg of Br<strong>and</strong>eis University, a member of <strong>the</strong> PERCouncil for Ethnic Accord, is <strong>the</strong> author of this report with additionalcomments from PER staff.In order to encourage frank <strong>and</strong> open dialogue, it is PER’s practice topublish remarks by participants without attribution. This report has notbeen reviewed by <strong>the</strong> participants, <strong>and</strong> PER assumes full responsibilityfor its contents.Livia B. Plaks, PresidentPr<strong>in</strong>ceton, <strong>New</strong> JerseyJanuary 2007From left to right: Jozef<strong>in</strong>a Topalli, K<strong>in</strong>ga Goncz, Livia Plaks, <strong>and</strong>Gabriela Konevska Trajkovska.23
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Page 16 and 17: Council of EuropeMarc Scheuer, Dire

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