{ "id": "R46175", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "R", "number": "R46175", "active": true, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov, EveryCRSReport.com", "versions": [ { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Kosovo: Background and U.S. Policy", "retrieved": "2021-05-14T04:03:29.554797", "id": "R46175_7_2021-04-08", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2021-04-08_R46175_858fcc8e767d19e082229104164f6b801983723c.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46175/7", "sha1": "858fcc8e767d19e082229104164f6b801983723c" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2021-04-08_R46175_858fcc8e767d19e082229104164f6b801983723c.html" } ], "date": "2021-04-08", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "R", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R46175", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source_dir": "crsreports.congress.gov", "title": "Kosovo: Background and U.S. Policy", "retrieved": "2021-05-14T04:03:29.554138", "id": "R46175_6_2021-03-11", "formats": [ { "filename": "files/2021-03-11_R46175_3ea62aa4adbae9dfd0a32cb2e618c2fc35d52505.pdf", "format": "PDF", "url": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46175/6", "sha1": "3ea62aa4adbae9dfd0a32cb2e618c2fc35d52505" }, { "format": "HTML", "filename": "files/2021-03-11_R46175_3ea62aa4adbae9dfd0a32cb2e618c2fc35d52505.html" } ], "date": "2021-03-11", "summary": null, "source": "CRSReports.Congress.gov", "typeId": "R", "active": true, "sourceLink": "https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/details?prodcode=R46175", "type": "CRS Report" }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 623772, "date": "2020-05-05", "retrieved": "2020-05-19T13:47:09.737215", "title": "Kosovo: Background and U.S. Policy", "summary": "Kosovo, a country in the Western Balkans with a predominantly Albanian-speaking population, declared independence from Serbia in 2008, less than a decade after a brief but lethal war. It has since been recognized by about 100 countries. The United States and most European Union (EU) member states recognize Kosovo. Serbia, Russia, China, and various other countries (including some EU member states) do not. \nKey issues for Kosovo include the following:\nResuming talks with Serbia. An EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, aimed at normalization of relations, stalled in 2018 when Kosovo imposed tariffs on Serbian goods in response to Serbia\u2019s efforts to undermine Kosovo\u2019s international legitimacy. Despite U.S. and EU pressure, the parties have not resumed talks. On April 1, 2020, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti conditionally lifted tariffs against Serbian imports; this step was praised by EU officials but drew U.S. criticism because of the government\u2019s simultaneous pledge to gradually introduce measures to match Serbian barriers to the movement of goods and people. \nGovernment collapse. The governing coalition led by Albin Kurti of the Self-Determination Party (Vet\u00ebvendosje) lost a vote of confidence in March 2020, less than two months after it had formed. The outgoing government comprises two parties formerly in opposition, both of which had campaigned on an anti-corruption platform. Among other factors, the collapse was attributed to divisions over managing relations with Serbia amid U.S. pressure on the government to immediately lift tariffs against Serbian imports, as well as to domestic political infighting. Kosovo\u2019s leaders disagree over how to proceed from the current political crisis. \nStrengthening the rule of law. The victory of Kurti\u2019s Vet\u00ebvendosje in the October 2019 election partly reflected widespread voter dissatisfaction with corruption. Weakness in the rule of law contributes to Kosovo\u2019s difficulties in attracting foreign investment and complicates the country\u2019s efforts to combat transnational threats. \nRelations with the United States. Kosovo regards the United States as a key ally and security guarantor. Kosovo receives the largest share of U.S. foreign assistance to the Balkans, and the two countries cooperate on numerous security issues. The United States is the largest contributor of troops to the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), which has contributed to security in Kosovo since 1999. In 2019, the Trump Administration appointed a Special Representative for the Western Balkans and a Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations. These appointments are considered to reflect the Administration\u2019s interest in securing a comprehensive settlement between Kosovo and Serbia and may signal a potentially greater U.S. role in a process that the EU has largely facilitated to date. Leaders in Kosovo generally have welcomed greater U.S. engagement, but some observers expressed concern over reported U.S. pressure on the Kurti government to lift tariffs on Serbian goods\u2014including pausing some U.S. assistance to Kosovo\u2014and over perceived U.S. support for the no-confidence session that resulted in the March 2020 government collapse. U.S. officials maintain that the United States is committed to working with any government formed in compliance with constitutional processes.\nTransatlantic cooperation. Since the Kosovo war ended in 1999, the United States, the EU, and key EU member states have largely coordinated their efforts to promote regional stability in the Western Balkans, including efforts to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia. More recently, however, some observers have expressed concern that transatlantic coordination has weakened on some issues relating to the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and to Kosovo\u2019s current political impasse.\nCongress was actively involved in debates over the U.S. response to a 1998-1999 conflict in Kosovo and subsequently supported Kosovo\u2019s declaration of independence. Today, many Members of Congress continue to support Kosovo through country- or region-specific hearings, congressional visits, and foreign assistance funding levels averaging around $50 million per year since 2015.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46175", "sha1": "d19c698f5c8a3ce9ca9d8309c15ed68f668edc4c", "filename": "files/20200505_R46175_d19c698f5c8a3ce9ca9d8309c15ed68f668edc4c.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/1.png": "files/20200505_R46175_images_b369fce2b9670a8a469814cc795e9d2f50764f7d.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200505_R46175_images_9614fb1087f172f1c3d9958b5afe0d5a73f040ac.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46175", "sha1": "fc6355f067223f2aa22ac77251401b158f34d256", "filename": "files/20200505_R46175_fc6355f067223f2aa22ac77251401b158f34d256.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 616593, "date": "2020-02-11", "retrieved": "2020-02-11T23:20:59.304299", "title": "Kosovo: In Brief", "summary": "Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and it has since been recognized by over 100 countries. The United States and most European Union (EU) member states recognize Kosovo, whereas Serbia, Russia, China, and various other countries (including some EU countries) do not. \nKey issues for Kosovo include the following:\nNew government. Nearly four months after early parliamentary elections, Kosovo formed a government on February 3, 2020. The new governing coalition, led by Prime Minister Albin Kurti of the Self-Determination Party (Vet\u00ebvendosje), comprises parties that were previously in opposition. The government has pledged to tackle problems with socioeconomic conditions and rule of law concerns; its approach to normalizing relations with Serbia remains to be seen.\nResuming talks with Serbia. An EU-brokered dialogue to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia stalled in 2018 when Kosovo imposed tariffs on Serbian goods in response to Serbia\u2019s efforts to undermine Kosovo\u2019s international recognition. Despite U.S. and EU pressure, the parties have not resumed talks. \nStrengthening the rule of law. The victory of Prime Minister Kurti\u2019s Vet\u00ebvendosje in the 2019 election is considered to partly reflect voter dissatisfaction with corruption. Weakness in the rule of law contributes to Kosovo\u2019s difficulties in attracting foreign investment and complicates the country\u2019s efforts to combat transnational threats. \nRelations with the United States. Kosovo regards the United States as a key ally and security guarantor. Kosovo receives the largest share of U.S. foreign assistance to the Balkans, and the two countries cooperate on numerous security issues. The United States is the largest contributor of troops to the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), which has contributed to security in Kosovo since 1999. In 2019, the Trump Administration appointed a Special Representative for the Western Balkans and a Special Presidential Envoy for Serbia and Kosovo Peace Negotiations. These appointments are considered to reflect renewed U.S. engagement in the region, the Administration\u2019s interest in expeditiously reaching an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, and a potentially greater U.S. role in a process that the EU has largely facilitated to date.\nCongress was actively involved in debates over the U.S. response to a 1998-1999 conflict in Kosovo and subsequently supported Kosovo\u2019s declaration of independence. Today, many in Congress continue to support Kosovo through country- or region-specific hearings, congressional visits, and foreign assistance funding levels averaging around $50 million per year since 2015.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46175", "sha1": "18758ae1b873a18005eb00441c80ce0a8dbff0dd", "filename": "files/20200211_R46175_18758ae1b873a18005eb00441c80ce0a8dbff0dd.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/1.png": "files/20200211_R46175_images_b369fce2b9670a8a469814cc795e9d2f50764f7d.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200211_R46175_images_96de8c78035b2a586351a37d355e65565867fe0a.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46175", "sha1": "b63d8e26318377490463438105467a9b7e4156fa", "filename": "files/20200211_R46175_b63d8e26318377490463438105467a9b7e4156fa.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [ { "source": "IBCList", "id": 4786, "name": "Europe, Russia, & Eurasia" } ] }, { "source": "EveryCRSReport.com", "id": 612819, "date": "2020-01-09", "retrieved": "2020-01-09T23:07:23.782398", "title": " Kosovo: In Brief", "summary": "Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, and it has since been recognized by over 100 countries. The United States and most European Union (EU) member states recognize Kosovo, whereas Serbia, Russia, China, and various other countries do not. \nKey issues for Kosovo include the following:\nGovernment formation. As of January 2020, Kosovo\u2019s domestic political situation remains unsettled. Vet\u00ebvendosje (Self-Determination), the top-performing party in an October 2019 early parliamentary election, has been unable to form a government coalition. If current efforts fail, Kosovo could face a second early election.\nResuming talks with Serbia. An EU-brokered dialogue to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia stalled in 2018 when Kosovo imposed tariffs on Serbian goods in response to Serbia\u2019s efforts to undermine Kosovo\u2019s international recognition. Despite U.S. and EU pressure, the parties have not resumed talks. \nStrengthening the rule of law. Vet\u00ebvendosje\u2019s victory in the 2019 election is considered to partly reflect voter dissatisfaction with corruption. Weakness in the rule of law contributes to Kosovo\u2019s difficulties in attracting foreign investment and complicates the country\u2019s efforts to combat transnational threats. \nRelations with the United States. Kosovo regards the United States as a key ally and security guarantor. Kosovo receives the largest share of U.S. foreign assistance to the Balkans, and the two countries cooperate on numerous security issues. The United States is the largest contributor of troops to the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), which has contributed to security in Kosovo since 1999. \nCongress was actively involved in debates over the U.S. response to a 1998-1999 conflict in Kosovo and subsequently supported Kosovo\u2019s declaration of independence. Today, many in Congress continue to support Kosovo through country- or region-specific hearings, congressional visits, and foreign assistance funding levels averaging around $50 million per year since 2015.", "type": "CRS Report", "typeId": "REPORTS", "active": true, "formats": [ { "format": "HTML", "encoding": "utf-8", "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/R46175", "sha1": "2ea16e94fe726b1efdc92044ef9ae66fa29d3a05", "filename": "files/20200109_R46175_2ea16e94fe726b1efdc92044ef9ae66fa29d3a05.html", "images": { "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/1.png": "files/20200109_R46175_images_ae3e96dcab8c13c398ec64f23e127d201a557a9a.png", "/products/Getimages/?directory=R/html/R46175_files&id=/0.png": "files/20200109_R46175_images_548e5a6b372938adda8e9611ed0724a45149ad8b.png" } }, { "format": "PDF", "encoding": null, "url": "https://www.crs.gov/Reports/pdf/R46175", "sha1": "cb5b7dd512d8b8bb8aba1bc95b38205f336e0e76", "filename": "files/20200109_R46175_cb5b7dd512d8b8bb8aba1bc95b38205f336e0e76.pdf", "images": {} } ], "topics": [] } ], "topics": [ "European Affairs", "Foreign Affairs", "Intelligence and National Security" ] }