This analysis draws the following conclusions:
Turkey ranks first among the countries of the region, and Kosovo has the best relations with it in terms of the quality of bilateral relations. Albania comes second, right after Turkey. Given its geographic size, position and influence, Turkey has been far more influential in helping Kosovo lobby for its recognition as well as strengthening its international legitimacy. Compared to Albania, Turkey has also been a more powerful investor in Kosovo. On the other hand, Albania is the only country in the region with which Kosovo has very intense relations, and this, thus, ranks first in terms of the intensity of bilateral relations between the two states.
Relations/contacts with non-recognizing states of the region are all weak. While Greece and Romania maintain a ‘diplomatic’ presence in Kosovo through their Liaison Offices, Serbia is the only unrecognized country in the region which not only has ‘diplomatic’ representation through its own Liaison Officer, but has also allowed Kosovo for them. had the same representation in Belgrade. Kosovo still does not have ‘diplomatic’ representation through Liaison Offices in other countries, except that Greece has not denied Kosovo the right to do so, for example. What also contributes to Serbia being ranked higher than other strangers in the region in terms of the quality of relations/contacts, is that the investments that Serbia has made in Kosovo, although low, when considering the region, are however high when compared to other non-knowers. Serbia is also ranked eighth among all countries in the region when it comes to the intensity of bilateral relations. Unlike other non-recognisers, with whom Kosovo does not have active relations, Serbia has maintained active political relations/contacts with Kosovo at the multilateral level, but such relations at the bilateral level are non-existent. Trade exchange is something that contributes to the current level of intensity of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo’s trade volume with Serbia is much higher than with any other country in the region except Macedonia.
When it comes to the EU member states of the region that have recognized Kosovo, Slovenia ranks first among them in terms of the quality of its relations with Kosovo. Slovenia, in fact, ranks third in the entire region in terms of the quality of its relations with Kosovo; it is right after Turkey and Albania.
What contributes to the better quality (and, in some cases, better than one would initially assume) of relations between Kosovo and Albania, Turkey and Serbia, for example, is that these states, along with Mali Montenegro and Macedonia are the only ones that do not apply entry barriers (such as visas) for citizens of Kosovo.
The most supportive countries in the region in strengthening Kosovo’s international legitimacy have been Albania, Turkey and Slovenia. Other countries, such as Croatia and Bulgaria, have also been supportive, but not to the extent that these three have been. Macedonia and Montenegro are the only countries in the region that have recognized Kosovo but have remained neutral in their approach to help it strengthen its international legitimacy. This is partly due to their close relations with Serbia, and they have considered the recognition of Kosovo as a big blow to Serbia from their side.
Serbia is the staunchest challenger to Kosovo’s international legitimacy. It takes every step it can to challenge the subjectivity and international representation of Kosovo. Serbia has used all the means it could, either legal (UN, ICJ, etc.), or practical (lobbying), to stop Kosovo from gaining more recognition. Romania has supported Serbia in almost all its efforts to challenge the international legitimacy of Kosovo. BiH has remained more passive regarding this issue, due to its internal divisions between its Bosniak and Croat representatives in the Presidency (who support the independence of Kosovo), on the one hand, and the Serbian representatives of the Presidency (who challenge the independence of Kosovo), on the other. Greece is the only non-recognizing country in the region that has adopted a more inclusive and non-isolationist approach to Kosovo. It has invited Kosovo to open its Liaison Office in Athens, and has also been open to meeting with high-ranking officials of Kosovo, both in Pristina and Athens, which distinguishes it from the countries of others unrecognizable.