German-based Balkans analyst and deputy director of the Southeast Europe Association, Johanna Deimel, said in an interview with Deutsche Welle in Albanian that Germany is among the countries that have firmly opposed the border change idea as part of an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. “Exchange of territories is in violation to European fundamental values,” she said adding that the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue needs a new driving force, a new format and a clear end-goal: “Recognition of Kosovo by Serbia and development of good neighbourly relations.”
With regards to the upcoming meeting of Western Balkans leaders in Berlin, Deimel said that the hosts of the summit, Germany and France, want to show that good neighbourly relations are possible and that the EU stands ready to take a seat at the table of negotiations. “With this meeting, Chancellor Merkel and President Macron send a clear message to Washington, and especially to the EU and to the EU foreign policy representative, Federica Mogherini. She not only tolerated [secret] negotiations between Thaci and Vucic but actually encouraged them. She had no mandate nor the support of 28 EU states for this,” Deimel said.
She noted that even meetings behind closed doors between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo’s Hashim Thaci were not successful. “If new impulse is now given from Berlin, if clear messages to Pristina, Belgrade and Tirana are conveyed that a comprehensive agreement between Serbia and Kosovo, without changing borders on ethnic lines, can be the objective for the two countries, the region and Europe, then we have achieved a great deal.”
