• Kurti: No full normalisation of relations without mutual recognition (RFE)
• Kurti: French-German plan foresees de facto recognition by Serbia (media)
• EU: We are ready to mediate discussions on Association (RFE)
• Students march against Association of Serb-majority municipalities (BIRN)
• Kosovo government discusses expropriation with local residents in north (RFE)
• Abdixhiku lists “Kurti’s failures and deceptions” (Gazeta Express)
• Albanian President Begaj to visit Kosovo today (media)
• Serwer: Ugly diplomacy in the Balkans (media)
• Price talks about the objective of the U.S. in Kosovo and Serbia (media)

Kurti: No full normalisation of relations without mutual recognition (RFE)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Wednesday that while Kosovo considers the EU proposal as a good basis for further discussions, an eventual final agreement with Serbia must include mutual recognition.

Kurti told reporters in Pristina that both European and U.S. officials have agreed that recognition must be part of a final agreement. “The process of talks has not started yet. There needs to be a high-level meeting invited by the High Representative Josep Borrell and from the talks we will see what comes next. But there cannot be full normalisation of relations without mutual recognition at the centre. In every meeting we had with our European and American partners, they agree that normalisation and recognition cannot be separated,” he said.

Asked about U.S. Secretary of State Blinken’s letter to Serbia, where he notes that Kosovo and Serbia have to “make difficult compromises”, Kurti said: “I believe that the U.S. continues to be our key partner, friend and ally in democratic state-building, democratic development and full normalisation of relations with Serbia, which should be centered on mutual recognition. Certainly, there will be other issues in the agreement in addition to mutual recognition, but it is at the centre”.

Kurti: French-German plan foresees de facto recognition by Serbia (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said in an interview with Tirana-based TV Klan that the French-German plan foresees the de facto recognition of Kosovo by Serbia. He said that the plan is more of a basic agreement that aims the normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia, but that it is not a final agreement.

“We accept it in principle. We need to negotiate and then turn the proposal into an agreement, because there are many undefined things. Especially in terms of international guarantees, implementation mechanisms, and the time sequence. It is not thought as a proposal for a final agreement … The de facto recognition is in there,” Kurti said.

EU: We are ready to mediate discussions on Association (RFE)

The European Union said on Wednesday it is ready to mediate discussions on the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo. EU spokesperson Peter Stano told Radio Free Europe that the EU-facilitated dialogue is the forum where this issue should be discussed. “We have taken note statements by Prime Minister Kurti about the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo during the plenary session on February 2. The forum to discuss the formation of the Association, and every other proposal that the parties may have, is within the dialogue. The EU is ready to mediate discussions on the Association in the next meetings of dialogue,” Stano said.

Students march against Association of Serb-majority municipalities (BIRN)

Organized by the students of the University of Prishtina, a march took place in the capital, against the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo.

Dozens of students have gathered in Prishtina on Wednesday, to march against the formation of Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo, an agreement within the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue which is being requested to be implemented.

The march, organized by the Students’ Parliament of the University of Prishtina, started from the National Library of Kosovo in the direction of the Government of Kosovo building.

Student Alba Mala said that they have gathered to declare their unwavering stance against the Association.

“This mono-ethnic Association is in contradiction with the Constitution of our Republic. This Association does not advance the rights of Serbs, but instrumentalizes them and advances Serbia in Kosovo, and as a result instability is created,” she said for BIRN.

Other citizens joined the students in this march.

The main call of the protest was “Together against the Association”, while the protesters were holding several other banners with the words: “No to the division of Kosovo”, “We do not give for free our lands”, “Where is the recognition of diplomas”, “Kosovo does not belong to Serbia”, “Zajednica [Association] does not pass.”

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3YVArBV

Kosovo government discusses expropriation with local residents in north (RFE)

Kosovo government representatives held a public discussion on Wednesday about the expropriation of land in the villages of Dren, Zaselle, and Leshak in the municipality of Leposavic, inhabited mainly by Serbs.

The discussion – which was also attended by representatives of non-governmental organisations and international missions – came after a group of local Serbs started a protest in early February asking the government to withdraw its decision on expropriation arguing that it is illegal.

The head of the government’s department for expropriations, Afrim Murati, informed the participants about the law and said he was ready to hear their opposition. The local residents, however, started a polemic over what they called violation of legal procedures by the government and one of their attorneys said that the whole process is not transparent.

A local resident had a similar complaint saying that the local population is not informed at all about the expropriation of their land.

Murati said their remarks will be followed up and that they will be informed about future steps.

Abdixhiku lists “Kurti’s failures and deceptions” (Gazeta Express)

The Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and their leader Lumir Abdixhiku, through a video published on Wednesday, listed what they called deceptions of the Kurti-led government. The party argues that Kurti has failed to fulfill his pledges because of inability, arrogance and dwelling on the past.

LDK criticised the government for failing to introduce the reciprocity it promised vis-à-vis Serbia and highlighted the increasing import of products from Serbia. It also highlighted the increase of energy prices and the youth leaving Kosovo.

The LDK also criticised the government of seizing public enterprises and institutions and appointing party hardliners. Saying that this is not the change that Kosovo deserves, the LDK promised it would present concrete plans and changes in every area in the coming days.

Albanian President Begaj to visit Kosovo today (media)

Albanian President Bajram Begaj will visit Kosovo today and is scheduled to meet President Vjosa Osmani.

Serwer: Ugly diplomacy in the Balkans (media)

Several news websites cover an opinion piece by U.S. analyst on the Balkans, Daniel Serwer, in which he writes:

Today’s Serbia National Day message from the State Department includes this tidbit:

I am pleased our two countries recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create liaison positions for Serbian diplomats within the U.S. Department of State.  This unique program will not only foster a better understanding of our respective foreign policy goals and objectives but will forge new channels of communication and build lasting partnerships.

This comes after avowal of support for Serbia’s EU ambitions and the umpteenth plea for Serbia to support Ukraine.

Where this leads

Serbia is not an allied country. It is not a member of NATO or a major non-NATO ally and has a policy of military neutrality. It has not joined the Western sanctions against Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. In fact, Belgrade is largely out of alignment with EU foreign policies it has promised to respect.

But the State Department has decided it can “win over” Belgrade. It is doing so by providing goodies up front. State is supporting Belgrade’s “Open Balkans” initiative, which aims at removing border barriers between Serbia and Serb populations in neighboring countries. State is also supporting Belgrade’s proposal to separate governance of the Serb-majority population of Kosovo from Pristina’s authority through creation of an Association of Serb-majority Municipalities.

That will create another de facto “Republika Srpska.” Bosnia’s Republika Srpska is now preparing to refuse the authority of Sarajevo’s courts. We can expect the same in Kosovo, if the Association is formed with the executive powers Belgrade seeks.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/4109GhS

Price talks about the objective of the U.S. in Kosovo and Serbia (media)

Several news websites cover a statement that U.S. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price gave to The Pavlovic Today.

On Serbia National Day, Secretary Blinken issued a strong message of support and empowerment to the Serbian people and the Western Balkans. Blinken’s sheer optimism for the future of US-Serbia relations jumps off the page. As someone who speaks to Secretary Blinken on a regular basis and is familiar with his thinking, Ned Price told The Pavlovic Today what’s behind Blinken’s optimism for US-Serbia relations.

“Secretary Blinken is, to his core, optimistic,” announced Ned Price. “I think you have to be optimistic if you’re going to be in the business of diplomacy,” he noted. “It’s what motivates I think many of us knowing that through US engagement, through American leadership on the world stage, we have an opportunity to change the world for the better, to leave the world a little bit more secure, a little bit more stable, more prosperous and filled with economic opportunity for people in this country, but also for people around the world,” shared Price. “I think you see that optimism reflected in the statement that he issued today.”

We’ve been with Serbia over the course of decades, standing by its side as a partner in the face of various challenges.

Secretary Blinken said that the US “values the strategic partnership we enjoy with Serbia.” Asked by The Pavlovic Today to talk in more detail about Blinken’s thinking related to the “strategic partnership” between two countries Price said that Secretary Blinken considers the US relationship with Serbia a “strategic partnership” due to its “multifaceted” nature.

“We have a long standing relationship with Serbia,” said Price. “We’ve been with Serbia over the course of decades, standing by its side as a partner in the face of various challenges, “stated Price, referring to a broad range of issues from security to policy to economy and the ties the American people and Serbs share.

“As you know, the Secretary has been personally invested in many of these issues in the region. The tensions between Kosovo and Serbia is something that does have his full attention.”

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Itmxl6