Reaction to Kosovo independence

EU Ministers spent Monday behind closed doors trying to agree on what to say about Kosovo. They ended up saying their decision is to work for stability in the Balkans. It wasn’t the blanket and enthusiastic recognition Kosovo was hoping for. Tens of thousands of ethnic Kosovars are celebrating in Kosovo’s capitol. The fact remains however that the EU is divided over recognition. Although Britain, France, and Germany all recognize Kosovo, six of its 27 members say they will not, including Greece, Romania, Slovakia, and Bulgaria. Most fear Kosovo sets a dangerous precedent for separatist groups, and all countries have such groups who may be encouraged by the Kosovo experience. In Spain, for example, Basque separatists have been vying for independence for decades. A divided EU complicates the organization’s upcoming work in Kosovo. It will send 1,800 police and judicial staff to help the new nation. There’s also a couple of billions of dollars of aid money to be sent there as well.