Serbian patriotic song Oy Kosovo, Kosovo, which contains Serbian historical and political claims on Kosovo, has been interpreted in Brussels, on the eve of the European Union’s Enlargement Forum ( EU Enlargement Forum 2026, organised by the European Commission under the leadership of the Enlargement Commission, Marta Kos.
It is meant to participate high-level political representatives from EU member states and those aimed at membership, as well as representatives of civil society, entrepreneurs, artists, young people and policy experts.
However, according to the information presented, Kosovo has not had representatives in this event, while the day before the main event, in the context of the opening evening and the concert, has been played by the song Kosovoo, Kosovo.
The move is scandalous, as in a dedicated European enlargement and the approach of countries in the region to the EU, Kosovo has not been represented, while a song has been interpreted on the stage that in Serbian nationalist tradition presents Kosovo as part of Serbia’s identity and historical claims.
In the official programme published for this event, the evening of November 15th is envisioned to include the performance of the Western Balkan Youth Orchestra Yeth Orchestra, along with the Slovenian music group HINA Capombanda.
And exactly the Slovenian band, Kapbanda, has performed the Serbian song, Oy Kosovo Kosovo.
Meanwhile, on the programme of the main day, on 16 November, talks by European Commission President Ursula von Leyeen, Finland’s president, Alexander Stubbb, and Commissioner Marta Kos were envisioned.
But what makes this event especially sensitive to Kosovo is the content of the played song.
How many Kosova swirea svié, the string with which the song starts, is translated from Kosovo by dawn.
The song is best recognised through the refrain — “Oy Kosovo, Kosovo,” and is one of the Serbian patriotic songs directly related to Serbia’s historic and nationalist narrator for Kosovo.
It was written in 1989 by Serbian composer and singer Ljubomir Ljuba Mansavevic at the time of the 600th anniversary of Battle of Kosovo 1389.
The song was registered in 1990, while it later became especially popular in the Serbian nationalist Distour for Kosovo.
Its text mentions Gracanica, Vidovdani, Prince Lazar and Milos Obiliki, important figures of Serbian epic and religious tradition. But the political message becomes even more direct in the verses where it says Kosovo is their land and that they will not hand it over.
A version of this song was published on June 27th, 2022 by Serbian singer Danica Crnogorčević, in co-operation with the ethnico group Goricaı, on Vidovdan’s case.
In the song presentation, it included a message from the Amfilohije minister, where Kosovo was named the heart of the Serbian people and as a place from which Serbs cannot give up.
The forum, organised by the European Commission, aims to discuss the future of EU enlargement, reforms, security and the European perspective of the countries of the region.
In this context, interpreting a song with such messages for Kosovo raises questions about the political sensitivity of artistic re-election in an event meant to promote the co-operation and European approach of Western Balkan countries. / EO
Source Layer: Dukeagini
