The Balkans Project

“The situation would be totally different if the Bosnian Serb Republic [Republika Srpska] were to declare that it was seceding from Bosnia … it lacks the funds for lobbying, unlike the [Kosovo] Albanian mafia.” -Vanja Strbac in Bosnian Serb daily Glas Srpske

“This decision should open the UN door for Pristina and it is also expected that more countries will now recognize Kosovo… The ruling is also important for the long-term stability of the region.” – Report in Croatian daily Vjesnik

“When the West starts reproaching Moscow for “recognizing the separatists in Sukhumi and Tskhinvali” again, Moscow will now be able to point to yesterday’s decision by the ICJ.” – Gennadiy Sysoyev in Russian daily Kommersant

“The reality is that the USA’s positioning on Kosovo is due to solely geopolitical considerations and not legal ones, even if it sells them to the whole world as such. Wherever it suits Washington’s interests, it recognizes the secession of stateless nations.” – Ricard Gonzalez in Spanish daily El Mundo

“The court has shifted the traditional balance. The territorial integrity of states is no longer given priority in all cases. In some circumstances, greater weight must be given to the right of peoples to self-determination.”  – Frank Herold in German daily Berliner Zeitung

More commentary may be found here.