Demostat: South Tyrol Possible Model for North Kosovo

ETHNIC ALBANIANS FROM BUJANOVAC, PRESEVO

The Italian province of South Tyrol in Austria is being mentioned in diplomatic circles in Paris and Brussels as a possible model for the autonomy of north Kosovo, Demostat wrote on Jan. 19.

South Tyrol's autonomy model has been mentioned as a possible solution in the Belgrade and Pristina dialogue multiple times and in various ways. Serbia-Montenegro foreign minister Vuk Draskovic spoke in 2005 of the South Tyrol model for Kosovo which envisaged "more than autonomy, less than independence." The Austrian majority in South Tyrol practically has sovereignty, while the Italian minority enjoys special rights.

The model of South Tyrol was also used to prepare a statute for the Community of Serb Municipalities in 2014, while solutions that resemble it were used for the Italian territory and mentioned in non-papers for Kosovo in 2021.

The autonomy of South Tyrol is based on the assumption that different ethnic groups can live together in a political system only if the needs of all groups are taken into account and they have a balanced relationship. In South Tyrol there is ethnic proportionality in public services and the system of government, public services are bilingual and all students are taught in their native tongue.