An overview of the potential for constructive integration in education, healthcare, economy, and cultural heritage of the Kosovo Serbs

This report explores the challenges and opportunities for integrating Kosovo’s Serb community across key sectors such as education, healthcare, cultural heritage, and the economy. The findings are based on primary data collected through two focus group discussions with the Kosovo Serb community in North Mitrovica in August’24 and with the Kosovo Albanian community in September’24, alongside an analysis of secondary sources, including legal documents, reports, and expert analyses.

Our analysis indicates that meaningful integration of the Kosovo Serbs is closely tied to the broader political normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. Without significant progress in this area, efforts to integrate Kosovo Serbs will most likely face resistance from this community. The Kosovo government’s approach toward the Kosovo Serb community should shift toward a discourse that promotes existing rights granted by Kosovo’s Constitution and the Ahtisaari Plan.

Our focus group discussions have revealed significant confusion and misunderstandings regarding what the integration of Serbian-speaking schools or the Serbian-funded healthcare system in Kosovo entails. Among Kosovo Serbs, there is concern that integration might mean losing control over decisions such as which textbooks to use or the curricula in their schools. Meanwhile, the Kosovo Albanian community also appears to lack full awareness or understanding of the rights guaranteed to Kosovo Serbs in areas such as education and healthcare. For example, the Kosovo Constitution grants Kosovo Serbs the right to use Serbian textbooks, follow a Serbian curriculum, receive funding from the Serbian government, and allow the municipality of North Mitrovica to establish a university. These misunderstandings underscore the need for clearer communication and information-sharing to bridge the gap between the communities.

Kosovo’s public should be more informed about the existing rights and autonomy that the Serb community enjoys under Kosovo’s legislative framework. Misunderstandings about the extent of these rights, such as the ability of Serbian-speaking schools to operate under Serbian curricula and receive funding from Serbia, have contributed to negative perceptions that such measures are concessions rather than legal guarantees.

The Kosovo government must prioritize the long-promised internal dialogue with the Serb community. This dialogue must be conducted transparently, with a focus on building trust and addressing community concerns. Confidence-building measures, in coordination with international actors such as the EU, US, and Quint countries, will be crucial for fostering a constructive relationship.

Economic integration is still limited, with Serb-majority municipalities primarily relying on public sector employment and informal economies, while efforts to formalize the economy and foster interethnic business cooperation have been met with some resistance in the north of Kosovo, while in the south there is some level of interethnic business cooperation.

Several pressing issues hinder the potential for economic integration and stifle the development of the business sector in Serb-majority areas, particularly in northern Kosovo. Rather than fostering growth, these challenges contribute to the closure or significant reduction of business activity. Key factors include the fragile political and security situation, especially in the north, the partial ban on Serbian goods imports, the politically motivated opening of Albanian-owned businesses in the north, and ongoing campaigns discouraging the purchase of Serbian products. Additionally, Kosovo Serb producers face limited opportunities to access the broader Kosovo and Albanian markets, further exacerbating economic isolation. These dynamics not only undermine local businesses but also deepen ethnic divisions, impeding the broader goals of regional integration and economic cooperation.

The integration of Serbian-speaking schools into Kosovo’s education system is fraught with political sensitivities and deep-seated concerns within the Kosovo Serb community, such as how it will affect the curriculum of the school if it would undermine the Serbian identity and culture, as well as job security among teachers. Important to note in this context is that Article 12 of Law No. 03/L-068 on Education in the Municipalities clearly states that “Schools that teach in the Serbian language may apply curricula or textbooks developed by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Serbia upon notification to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Kosovo.”  At the policy level, there is a real concern among the Kosovo Serb community regarding Kosovo’s educational regulatory framework concerning the student-to-teacher ratio, which could potentially lead to the closure of many schools, particularly in smaller Serb-populated villages. This would disproportionately affect rural communities, where Kosovo Serb students are already more isolated, and could further erode the presence of Kosovo Serbs in these areas. Kosovo’s legal framework guarantees the protection of Serbian cultural heritage. However, instances of politicization of cultural issues have fueled mistrust.

The report concludes that solutions exist for moving toward constructive integration, but implementation will be challenging. Success depends on the political will of both Kosovo and Serbia to engage in transparent dialogue, avoid inflammatory rhetoric, and ensure that integration measures are supported by the Kosovo Serb community through confidence-building initiatives. International support and coordination with the EU and US will also be crucial in driving the process forward.

Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent those of the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the German Marshall Fund of the U.S., USAID, or the U.S. Government