Assesing the imapct of the EULEX mission: between normative aspirations and EU political interests

Stanković Nevena (Institut za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd), nevena@diplomacy.bg.ac.rs

The launch of the EULEX mission in Kosovo in 2008 was part of the European Union’s declared objective to promote broader societal normalisation between Belgrade and Pristina. This goal encompassed efforts to overcome the socalled legacy of the past, including the prosecution of perpetrators of interethnic war crimes, the identification of missing persons, and support for the return of refugees. The mission’s core tasks were centred on the establishment of the rule of law in Kosovo and Metohija and the creation of a secure environment for interethnic relations. The complexity of the mission is reflected in the dynamic nature of its mandate, which has evolved and incorporated new challenges. Despite the presence and work of the mission for more than 16 years, the rule of law in Kosovo and Metohija remains difficult, further complicating the process of social normalisation of relations between Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. In addition, the mission’s activities have revealed a structural asymmetry between the EU’s strategic goals and the real capacities for action in the specific local context. That has raised the issue of its real possibilities to contribute to the transformation of a post-conflict society, in accordance with the proclaimed goals. The paper examines the effects and key limitations of EULEX’s actions, based on the EU’s normative approach. In conclusion, the paper will point to a deeper institutional and political disconnection between the Union’s normative expectations and the complex socio-political reality. The research relies on the method of content analysis of relevant official documents and discourse analysis.

Keywords: EULEX, European Union, Kosovo and Metohija, the rule of law, normative power.