FM: Kosovo not interested in ‘pseudo-dialogue’

The European Union-backed Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has been handshakes and photoshops and an opportunity was missed to present a better strategy and get more concrete results, according to Kosovo Foreign Minister Donika Gervalla.

The EU-facilitated dialogue process, aiming to normalise relations between Kosovo and Serbia, has spanned 13 years but has yielded little in the way of results. Agreements that have been signed often remain unimplemented by both sides, and the most recent agreements, in Brussels and Ohrid, were not signed and, again, have not been implemented.

Meanwhile, tensions between the two countries have flared to tensions unseen since the end of the 1998-1999 war and demands from the EU for Kosovo to de-escalate resulted in sanctions against Pristina for noncompliance. Meanwhile, critics have slammed the EU for taking a soft approach to Serbia due to their role in violent protests, the arrest of three Kosovo police from within Kosovo, and violations of agreements such as interference in elections and lobbying non-recognisers of Kosovo’s independence.

Asked by Euronews about the role of the EU in the dialogue, Gervalla replied, “I think there was a greater chance, with a better and concrete strategy and plan, for the dialogue to yield better results. Often, the dialogue has been merely for handshakes and photo opportunities, so we are not interested in a pseudo-dialogue.”

The foreign minister continued that Kosovo is interested in the normalisation of relations and believes that mutual recognition is the only way to bring long-term peace and stability to the region.

Kosovo declared its independence unilaterally, with the support of much of the West, from Serbia in 2008. Serbia refuses to recognise this declaration and considers it a former province. The country’s Serb population, located mainly in four northern municipalities, also do not recognise Pristina’s sovereignty and recently resigned en masse from all state structures, including police, judiciary and government, and refused to participate in special elections at the behest of Belgrade.

Following the sanctions, which include being frozen out of EU funding, Kosovo proposed a plan to de-escalate the situation, following the guidance of the EU. Gervalla explained that next week she hopes there will be a meeting of chief negotiators to take further action.

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“Next week, there will be a meeting of the chief negotiators because only implementing that agreement can be a long-term strategy. Crisis issues will not bring success in normalising our relations,” she said.

As for elections in the north, she said they are preparing for them to take place after the summer, but Serbia must cooperate.

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“But there is a specific procedure, which we have agreed upon and which requires the necessary cooperation from the other side. If [Serbian President Aleksandar] Vučić continues with his pressure for Serbs not to participate, then it will be impossible for us to hold elections in an unbiased manner,” she added.

Gervalla added that it is important to offer an everyday life to Serb-majority north citizens, but Vucic is hampering this.

“Serbian President [Aleksandar] Vučić is not concerned about the four municipalities, just as the issue’s essence has not been the license plate problem. Therefore, we need a long-term strategy with our partners because if we only solve conflicts and crises caused by Serbia, we will not make any progress,” she added.

As for the interjection of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, who presented his own draft for creating the Association of Serb Municipalities, something demanded by Serbia and the West, Gervalla said they have not even considered it.

“I have not seen the draft, but regardless of what such a draft would contain, uncoordinated with the institutions of Kosovo, it is not a draft that will be treated and taken into consideration,” she said.

The Association is designed to give Serbs in the north greater autonomy through their governance structures. Pristina, however, has said caution must be exercised while creating it to align with the country’s constitution.

(Alice Taylor | Exit.al)