Dealing with the Past Democracy and Human Rights

There are more than 2,000 memorials and statues across Kosovo related to the 1998–99 war, but the authorities lack proper legal guidelines to deal with the chaotic construction of monuments.

In Kosovo, a veil of silence has systematically obscured the reality of wartime sexual violence, while only a few memorialization initiatives have sought to expose these crimes and affirm survivors’ experiences.

Kosovo is navigating the complex process of moving from a divided memorialization of the past toward a dialogue that transcends simplistic narratives.

The electoral system and the guaranteed seats favor brave new non-majority actors with even minimal levels of voter support, regardless of the level of Serb participation, and can turn them into political kingmakers at local and national levels. Boycotts are a self-defeating strategy, and civil resistance is a good short-term strategy to mobilize and draw attention, but not one that guarantees solutions. The electoral year of 2025 is the moment of truth for Kosovo Serbs.