The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met to study the security situation in the western Balkans. Appearing were Gallit Dobner, Director General for Arctic, Eurasian and European Affairs at Global Affairs Canada; Michelle Cameron, Ambassador to Serbia, Montenegro and North Macedonia; Jessica Blitt, Ambassador to Croatia and Kosovo; Valerie Percival, Professor at Carleton University; Krenare Recaj, Ph.D. Candidate at Carleton University; and Maria Berishaj-Sylejmani, a gender equality and social inclusion specialist.
Gallit Dobner described the western Balkans as structurally fragile, with unresolved ethnic disputes, weak institutions, corruption, and malign Russian influence exploiting divisions. She noted that the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Priština dialogue has lost momentum, that Serbia faces internal strains from protests over accountability, and that Kosovo’s repeated failure to form a stable government has created political crisis. She highlighted Bosnia and Herzegovina as the most fragile post-conflict state, vulnerable to secessionist rhetoric, and stressed that NATO and the EU remain indispensable for stability. Canada continues to contribute through KFOR in Kosovo, the Peace Implementation Council steering board in Bosnia, and defence capacity building in Albania, but she acknowledged that Canada’s focus has shifted toward Europe’s eastern flank and Ukraine.
Michelle Cameron testified that since U.S. sanctions on Gazprom, Canada and western partners have worked to help Serbia divest from Russian oil and gas, though infrastructure barriers limit LNG transport. She noted that Montenegro’s external debt to China is about 15 to 16 percent, mostly from competitively won infrastructure projects, and expressed concern that any country’s debt to another can be leveraged for activities not aligned with western interests. She also described Canadian efforts to counter Russian influence through educational exchanges, public education campaigns on disinformation, and encouraging companies to enter energy and IT sectors where Russia has a foothold.
Jessica Blitt stated that Kosovo has firmly taken a Euro-Atlantic position, aligning with EU sanctions on Russia and supporting Ukraine concretely despite being a small country. On Kosovo’s repeated elections, she described them as free and fair, a sign of democracy finding its way, though she acknowledged that institutional stability is needed for a strong partner in the Belgrade-Priština dialogue. She did not provide specific criteria for Canada’s recognition of Kosovo, deferring to historical context.
Valerie Percival argued that Canadian foreign policy is strongest when guided by a clear compass, such as the human security agenda during the Balkan conflicts, and that Canada’s contributions to peace in the region elevated its global standing. She warned that a narrow focus on national security risks ignoring root drivers of conflict and that development assistance cuts globally, including in the Balkans, undermine soft power and diplomacy. She recommended that Canada maintain a presence through lighter-footprint options like OSCE secondments and use its expertise in cybersecurity and countering foreign interference to support the region.
Krenare Recaj argued that the west’s approach to normalization between Kosovo and Serbia is flawed, as it accommodates President Vučić’s government despite its nationalist rhetoric and involvement in the 2023 Banjska attack. She recommended that Canada use its voice in NATO and multilateral forums to advocate for decoupling Kosovo’s Euro-Atlantic integration from normalization with Serbia, and that Canada capitalize on its goodwill by deepening its presence, including opening an embassy in Kosovo. She disagreed with the current framework, which she said ties Kosovo’s future to the co-operation of a government that glorifies those who attack Kosovars.
Maria Berishaj-Sylejmani emphasized that the women, peace and security agenda is central to stability in Kosovo and the region, noting that women remain underrepresented in security forces and are largely absent from the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. She called for continued investment in women’s civil society organizations, media literacy programs, and independent journalism to counter disinformation and foreign influence, particularly from Russia via Serbian media. She recommended that Canada support Kosovo’s new gender equality program and promote meaningful inclusion of women in peace and security processes.
The committee did not debate procedural motions or votes during this meeting.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.