Lajçak and Escobar in Prishtina / Pressure for Dialogue and Association

A day earlier, the two diplomats met with Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

They encouraged Kosovo leaders to continue the dialogue for the normalization of relations with Serbia, saying that this process will bring Kosovo closer. even closer to the EU.

Representatives of the opposition parties, the Democratic Party of Kosovo, the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, said that in a meeting with Western diplomats they expressed support for dialogue as a mechanism that ensures mutual recognition, without compromising, according to them, state sovereignty. , territorial integrity and constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo.

Kosovo and Serbia have not held high-level talks since July last year.

The issue of forming the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is seen as the cause of the blockade.

The formation of this association is foreseen by an agreement that Kosovo and Serbia reached in 2013.

The current government of Kosovo, led by Kurti, says there can be no mono-ethnic association in Kosovo.

Serbia, on the other hand, insists that in the framework of the dialogue, the Association be discussed, before discussing any other topic – which Kosovo does not accept.

Experts on political issues in Pristina see Escobar and Lajcak’s visit as US and EU pressure on Kosovo to resume dialogue with Serbia and form the Association.

On the eve of their visit, the US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hoveniersaid that there are models that the US thinks can work for this association and that the Government of Kosovo has been asked to review them.

He did not give more details about these models, but Kurti, during a joint press conference with Escobar and Lajcak, said he was ready to respond to the demands and needs of all citizens of Kosovo, including Serbs.

“We will take the current best practices of Kosovo, but also of the European Union, and taking into account the practices and ways that Serbia implements, because we should not have citizens or communities that are privileged, “Elsewhere discriminated,” said Kurti.

Demhasaj: Kurti’s statement highlighted the pressure on him

Arton Demhasaj, from the non-governmental organization “Çohu”, based in Prishtina, says that Kurti’s statement has revealed that there is a kind of pressure on him, regarding the issue of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

“The fact that Kurti said that he is for the preservation of the integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo and for everyone to be equal, in a way shows that there is pressure on the Association. Now, it remains to be seen for more information the other days. But, probably, the main demand of Mr. Escobar and Mr. Lajçak is that he [Kurti] “he must withdraw from his current positions,” Demhasaj told Radio Free Europe.

The cabinet of Prime Minister Kuti told Radio Free Europe that during yesterday’s meetings between Kurti and Western diplomats “there were no specific requests” regarding the issue of the Association.

According to analyst Imer Mushkolaj, the positions already expressed by the US that the integrity and sovereignty of Kosovo will not be violated, as well as those of the EU that it is not interested in a Republika Srpska in Kosovo, give signals that a solution is being sought.

On January 30, Lajcak told the Express newspaper in Kosovo that the Association Agreement should be implemented, but no one wants another Republika Srpska – referring to the Serb-majority entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to Mushkolaj, the solution that is being sought now is between the 2013 Agreement for the Association and Kurti’s position that the Association will not be established at all.

“I have the impression that both mediators are looking for a solution between these two extremes and that could result in a new organization – not to call it an association – that could be created in Kosovo. I am skeptical that such a thing could happen, but I rather believe that we will be dealing with a distribution of more rights in certain areas for Serbs. “There would be no special name, but, in practice, it could increase their rights,” says Mushkolaj.

Will Kosovo compromise?

Arton Demhasaj says that the pressure on the Government of Kosovo can make Prime Minister Kurti move from the rigid stance he has against the formation of the Association.

“From our side [e Kosovës]most likely, there may be movement from where they are, because, in case Escobar comes and promises the final deal [me Serbinë] should end with mutual recognition, then, in return, I think they will ask for something. “The maximum likelihood is that some kind of association will be required.”

“Now, what this association will be, in accordance with the Brussels Agreement or any other model will come, from those mentioned in recent days, remains to be seen. “But, most likely, Kosovo will be under great pressure to give the Association in exchange for recognition”, says Demhasaj.

Mushkolaj does not expect Prime Minister Kurti to give up his stance against the formation of the Association – at least not for now.

According to him, the Government of Kosovo intends to postpone any agreement, which would mean the implementation of more rights for Kosovo Serbs, until recognition by Serbia or for such a thing to become part of the package of the final agreement.

“By no means now, when Serbia does not recognize Kosovo, because such an organization [më shumë të drejta për serbët] it would be dangerous for the integrity and sovereignty of the country “, says Mushkolaj.

Both Demhasaj and Mushkolaj estimate that part of the responsibility for the non-advancement of Kosovo and Serbia in the dialogue, within a solid time frame, lies with the European Union.

According to them, the EU approach to the countries of the Western Balkans, not to expand indefinitely, has discouraged Kosovo and Serbia to step up efforts to normalize relations.

The EU-mediated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia started in 2011.

So far, within this dialogue, 23 agreements have been reached at the technical and political level, but not all of them are implemented on the ground.

Escobar and Lajcak will continue to travel to Serbia on Wednesday, for meetings with the leaders there. REL

top channel