During his testimony before a parliamentary committee in Canada, renowned Balkan expert Dr. Jasmin Mujanovic called on the United States and Canada to treat non-recognition of Kosovo as a bilateral diplomatic priority in relation to the remaining European Union states that still do not recognize its independence.
Mujanovic, a political scientist and policy specialist on Southeast European affairs, testified before the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development of the House of Representatives of Canada. He was invited to offer his expertise on the security situation in the Western Balkans.
In his speech, Mujanovic stated: “There is no coherent reason why countries like Spain, Slovakia and others do not recognize the sovereignty of Kosovo.
Following Congressman Self’s excellent suggestion, I think the United States and Canada should make it clear to those five remaining member states of the European Union that the non-recognition of Kosovo will be treated as a bilateral issue between Washington and Ottawa on the one hand, and those five capitals on the other.”
The five European Union countries that still do not recognize Kosovo are Spain, Slovakia, Greece, Cyprus and Romania.
Mujanovic underlined the need for a coordinated Western policy that would help advance regional stability and Euro-Atlantic integration in the Balkans. His testimony aligns with broader calls for deeper Canadian and United States engagement in the region.
This hearing, held on June 4, reflects Ottawa’s growing interest in a more proactive policy toward the Western Balkans, at a time when geopolitical tensions involving Russia, China, and stability challenges in the region continue.
Originally from Sarajevo, Dr. Jasmin Mujanović received his PhD from York University in Toronto. He is a researcher, author, and non-resident senior fellow at the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy in Washington, DC, and lives and works in Los Angeles. His research focuses on the democratization of post-authoritarian and post-conflict societies in the Western Balkans.
He is the author of two widely acclaimed books: “Hunger and Fury: The Crisis of Democracy in the Balkans” (2018) and “The Bosniaks: Nationhood After Genocide” (2023). His analyses and commentary have been published in prestigious media outlets such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Foreign Affairs and Foreign Policy./RTK