Albanian Language Media:

• Escobar: Implementation of normalisation agreement must start immediately (RFE)
• Hovenier: Kurti to work with us on implementation of Association (Koha)
• Kurti: EU to find mechanism to make agreement legally & internationally binding (media)
• Kurti to report about Ohrid agreement to Assembly on Thursday (media)
• Ischinger: Implementation will require constant supervision, and nudging (media)
• PDK calls for dismissal of Minister Rozeta Hajdari (Telegrafi)
• Tahiri reacts to Osmani: Easiest to criticise internationals when you fail (EO)

Serbian Language Media:

• Civil society: Work to build trust so that political agreements take root and benefit society (Kontakt plus radio)
• Dacic: Serbia managed to protect its national interests in Ohrid (Kosovo Online)
• Jeremic on consequences of European proposal on Kosovo (N1)
• Metropolitan Joanikije: Agreement is unacceptable if it means that Kosovo is treated as an independent state (KoSSev)
• Gathering against EU plan on Kosovo took place on Friday in Belgrade (N1, media)
• SNS top official criticises opposition gathering over Kosovo issue (BETA, TV Pink)
• Opposition calls for new protest against European proposal (Radio KIM)
• Drecun: Progress made in Ohrid, ‘traps’ of EU proposal avoided (Tanjug, TV Pink)
• Montgomery: Vucic deserves full support in fighting against pressure (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)
• Three Serbian houses in Kosovo burglarized (Radio KIM)

Opinion:

• Serbia and Kosovo Weren’t Desperate Enough for an Ohrid Breakthrough (BIRN)
• Nenezic on the annex to the European agreement: A lot of bureaucracy about a little bit big obligations (KoSSev)
• Lazarevic: These negotiations distance Serbia from Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)
• Hoxha: For the USA more important not to waste time then the signature; inevitable formation of the CSM (ZSO) or whatever it’s called (KoSSev, Nova S, News Max Adria)
• Ognjen Gogic: Lower probability of the formation of the CSM (ZSO) after the Ohrid meeting (Danas)
• In the north, “confused” after Ohrid, they don’t know anything about plates, institutions… (N1)

Albanian Language Media  

Escobar: Implementation of normalisation agreement must start immediately (RFE)

United States Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, said today that Kosovo and Serbia must immediately start implementing the agreement for the normalisation of relations. During an online discussion with reporters, Escobar said that the accord reached on March 18 in Ohrid is an agreement “in all aspects”, that it is legally binding and that it will be part of the European path of both countries. “The European path [of Kosovo and Serbia] is exceptionally conditioned with the implementation of this agreement,” he said.

Escobar said that for Kosovo it is important to start drafting its version for the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, and for Serbia to start recognising Kosovo’s documents and state symbols.

“This agreement is the start of reconciliation between Kosovo and Serbia. There is a lot of work that needs to be done beyond this agreement,” he said.

Escobar also said that the agreement is “historic” and that he will help in the implementation of all points of the agreement.

According to Escobar, it is not important to focus on the fact that neither Kosovo nor Serbia signed the agreement during the meeting in Ohrid, and that it is an agreement, and it is viewed as such by the European Union.

Asked what is the best European model that can be used for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, Escobar said it is up to the people of Kosovo to decide that in the talks with Serbia. “But we believe that it should be one that serves the interests of the people of the region, one that functions for both sides, that allows ethnic Serbs to take full party in the civil and democratic life of Kosovo, and also to be an association that does not violate the constitutional structure of Kosovo. Within this there are many models and options and we hope that we will have talks with both sides so that we can reach not only a common but also attractive option,” he was quoted as saying.

Hovenier: Kurti to work with us on implementation of Association (Koha)

United States Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said today that Prime Minister Albin Kurti informed the diplomatic corps about his approach toward the Ohrid agreement. Hovenier said that for the United States it is important that there is an accord between Kosovo and Serbia. “We welcome both agreements reached. We have a standard request for the Prime Minister to work with us on the implementation of the Association,” he said.

Hovenier also said that for the U.S. it is less important how the agreement was concluded because, he argued, it is important that it was concluded. “The expectations of the U.S. remain that all agreements must be implemented, including the Association,” he said.

Kurti: EU to find mechanism to make agreement legally & internationally binding (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Sunday that “we have now reached an agreement on an implementation annex to the Basic Agreement”. “Serbia—just as in the last meeting in Brussels—avoided signing the Agreement, and now also the Annex. It’s up to the EU to find a mechanism to make the agreement legally & internationally binding,” Kurti wrote on Twitter.

Kurti to report about Ohrid agreement to Assembly on Thursday (media)

Head of the Vetevendosje parliamentary group, Mimoza Kusari, told reporters today that Prime Minister Albin Kurti will report to the Kosovo Assembly on Thursday about the March 18 agreement in Ohrid. “We, the parliamentary group, will have a formal meeting with the Prime Minister in the coming days, and the Prime Minister will also address the Assembly on Thursday. It is foreseen that the declaration on missing persons, which has been agreed upon but has yet to be signed, will be among the implementation points. This will largely depend on the approach of the mediator because in the absence of a signature by Serbia, the guarantors are the EU and the U.S,” she said.

Ischinger: Implementation will require constant supervision, and nudging (media)

Wolfgang Ischinger, German diplomat and President of the Munich Security Conference Foundation Council, in a Twitter post, congratulated all parties involved in the Ohrid accord. “But scepticism also warranted: implementation will require constant supervision, and nudging ( even pressure). Continued Godfather roles of EU, US, GER and FRA, very important. Fragility due to lack of formal signatures. Trustbuilding how?” Ischinger tweeted.

PDK calls for dismissal of Minister Rozeta Hajdari (Telegrafi)

MP from the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK), Blerta Deliu-Kodra, said today that during the session of the Kosovo Assembly on Thursday they will call for the dismissal of Minister of Industry and Trade, Rozeta Hajdari. The PDK MP cited “consequent violations that were identified in the Ministry of Industry and Trade” for the dismissal request.

Tahiri reacts to Osmani: Easiest to criticise internationals when you fail (EO)

Kosovo’s former chief negotiator in talks with Serbia, Edita Tahiri, reacted in a Facebook post on Sunday to a statement by Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani, saying that “when you fail in an agreement, it is easiest to criticise internationals”. “This is what President Osmani did today, instead of helping the Prime Minister not to fail, she remained silent all along as if it was not her duty too to make sure that Kosovo would come out victorious in Ohrid,” Tahiri argued.

Serbian Language Media 

Civil society: Work to build trust so that political agreements take root and benefit society (Kontakt plus radio)

Representatives of non-governmental organisations and activists from Kosovo and central Serbia issued a press release in which they stated that “goodwill and building trust are very important in order for political agreements to take root and benefit society”, reported Kontakt plus radio.

They warned that “the status quo is leading communities down the path of conflict, deepening divisions and entrenching suffering.”

“People don’t know where they stand or what they can expect from their societies. The only predictability is frustration and disappointment,” they added.

They pointed out that “the narrative of coercive diplomacy undermines the feeling that implementation will happen in good faith”.

“We need to be able to trust that stakeholders are committed to their process for the right reasons. They must stand up for the obligations they undertake on our behalf,” they explained.

They claim that “people do not know how the transition to the next phase will affect their daily needs, including the consequences for their jobs and access to services”.

“This is not just a matter of transparency. Decision-makers must be proactive in addressing the legitimate concerns of citizens, while emphasising the benefits that can and must be realised,” they said.

They stressed that “every agreement must be supported by special guarantees”.

“In order to create security – the next steps must be irreversible. We must stop living in the cycle of integration and disintegration. People need to have self-confidence, to invest in themselves and their careers, and ultimately in their communities,” they pointed out.

They stated that “many people feel that the system does not work for them”.

“Reforms that deal with basic needs, including the fight against corruption and the development of an efficient justice system – are not being addressed in an effective way. Citizens’ voices are not as strong as they should be in public policy, and the possibility of building civil alliances is threatened. Questions of interest of the public are politicised, so civil society cannot raise them,” they explained.

They recalled that “narratives among politicians and in the media too often emphasise difference and separation”.

“The tangible result is external migration, which further depletes the human capital in our societies on which we depend. Instead, we want to live in societies that celebrate diversity and see it as a strength. Trust between people is a necessary condition to overcome the obstacles that our communities have been facing for many years,” they added.

Dialogue is essential, they said. 

“It must be complemented by complementary processes, which transform relations within and between communities, and lay the foundations for a peaceful and prosperous future. Without it, we risk repeating the mistakes and missed opportunities of the past decade and more,” they warned.

The signatories of the statement are NGO Aktiv, Center for Peace and Tolerance, Center for Democracy and Education – Dolina, “Community building Mitrovica”, Voice of Roma, Ashkali and Egyptians, Youth Initiative for Human Rights (Kosovo), Youth Initiative for Human Rights (Serbia), “Livrit”, “Local Peace”, Lugina Lajm portal, Media Center Čaglavica, New Social Initiative, prof. Vjollca Krasniqi, Radio Goraždevac, Radio Astra, Radio Peja and TV Prizreni.

Dacic: Serbia managed to protect its national interests in Ohrid (Kosovo Online)

Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic said that at the Ohrid meeting, Serbia managed to protect its national interests with the wise policy of President Aleksandar Vucic, adding Serbia must conduct a dialogue and normalise relations with Pristina, sticking to its red lines.

He told TV Pink that on Saturday, during the meeting in Ohrid, everything was done in accordance with the state policy of Serbia and ensuring its further European path.

“There was a danger that Serbia would be the one accused for the failure of the dialogue, I will remind you that Albin Kurti insisted on mutual recognition, announced that he would never accept the Community of Serb Municipalities, stated a million conditions for it to be formed”, he said.

According to Dacic no legal obligation was undertaken in Ohrid that was against the interests of the state.

He also said Vucic never used the term “acceptance of the agreement”, but that an agreement was established to work on the implementation of the principles from that agreement while adhering to the red lines, which imply that there is no recognition of Kosovo and its admission to the UN.

“The president did not sign the agreement. We have had the opportunity since 2012 to do something to the detriment of Serbia if we wanted to. We should take advantage of this moment and this position, which for us is such that we have not done anything to our detriment, but we have received the formation of the CSM, for the first time it becomes a legal act of the EU, although in our opinion it should have become one in 2013”, Dacic said.

Jeremic on consequences of European proposal on Kosovo (N1)

Leader of opposition People’s Party (NS) and former Serbian foreign affairs minister, Vuk Jeremic told N1 Novi Dan broadcast that signing and implementation of European proposal for Kosovo would open Pandora’s box and be “a leap to the abyss”. He argued consequences of this plan would be creating “Great Albania”, new changes to the borders in the Balkans and potential armed conflict.

According to him, the only way to prevent this from happening is to prevent the signing of the European plan by participating in a referendum that would contain a sole question related to the opposition or approval of this plan.

He further said that article 4 of the agreement clearly says Serbia will not oppose membership of Kosovo in any international organisations, including the UN, which means that Russia and China would not oppose it either. He opined those two states would abstain from voting, same as Serbia will do.

He added membership of Kosovo in the UN would lead to creating “Great Albania” in a few-year time.

Asked what prevents Kosovo and Albania to unite now, he responded – territorial dispute. “You can not unite with a territory considered as disputed. However, if Kosovo becomes a member of the UN, there is not a single instrument of the international legal order that could prevent two fully fledged members to unite and inform the UN with a letter that they as of now act as unified”.

Commenting on persistent statements of President Aleksandar Vucic that he did not sign anything in Ohrid, Jeremic said there is a huge difference between signed and not signed acts, but that great damage has already been made by giving verbal consent as well.

“If it is not signed then it is not legally binding for the one who comes after. The only way to avoid disaster is to prevent Vucic from signing it, the only way to prevent it is that people reject the agreement, and the only way for people to reject the agreement is to have a referendum organised”, Jeremic said.  

He noted Vucic will become ‘weaker’ if people reject this proposal in a referendum, because it would be for the first time that people told him ‘no’. Threats with sanctions, isolation and retraction of investments if Serbia refuses the plan Jeremic termed as “shooting with an empty gun”.

“If Serbia rejects this agreement and launches diplomatic action to prevent Kosovo from joining the Council of Europe, if you call Spain today and ask them to be against it, Spain will say “yes”, Spain will not say “no” to you. Nothing can happen to Serbia, it can only happen to Vucic. Serbia is not the one to endure consequences”, he said.

He added that the People’s Party launched an initiative to call for a referendum, and if Assembly Speaker Vladimir Orlic does not call a session on this topic, then the initiative to collect 100.000 signatures necessary to call for referendum will commence.

Metropolitan Joanikije: Agreement is unacceptable if it means that Kosovo is treated as an independent state (KoSSev)

The Franco-German proposal (cf. the EU agreement) is unacceptable if it is defined as a framework for any negotiations on the status of Kosovo, and if Kosovo is treated as an independent state, Serbian Orthodox Church Metropolitan Joanikije of Montenegro and the Littoral told Radio Svetigora ahead of the upcoming Vucic-Kurti meeting in Ohrid, KoSSev portal reports.

“That agreement was not signed by Serbia. However, if the text of the agreement is defined as a framework for negotiations and if Kosovo is treated as an independent state, then this is unacceptable“, the Metropolitan said in an interview for Radio Svetigora on the occasion of the 19th anniversary of the March 17th ethnic violence against Serbs, known to the Serbian public as the March pogrom.

The Metropolitan said that the “Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia“ was initiated by the same countries that guaranteed peace and security to the Serb people and their holy sites in Kosovo.

He then accused the German contingent of KFOR of “failing to lift a finger“ while Albanian extremists burned and demolished churches and monasteries, adding that the French “allowed“ Devic to be torched.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3lpBYCe

Gathering against EU plan on Kosovo took place on Friday in Belgrade (N1, media)

Supporters of right-wing and conservative parties gathered in front of Belgrade’s St Sava temple on Friday to voice their opposition to the European Union proposal to normalise Belgrade-Pristina relations.

Organisers said this was a patriotic gathering which would not feature party flags. The peaceful protest was called by the Dveri movement, Oathkeepers and New Democratic Party of Serbia (NDSS) under the slogan Serbia Remembers, Defends, Won’t Give. Earlier, activists and supporters claimed they were deliberately targeted by police to prevent them from coming to Belgrade from several parts of the country. 

Party activists blocked a main intersection in central Novi Sad and part of the Ibarska road because bus companies cancelled their reservations and the police in southern Serbia stopped their buses for technical checks. The crowd in Novi Sad said their buses were cancelled because the authorities were preventing them from exercising their right to protest. One of the activists blocking the Ibarska road said that the police were abusing its powers and stopping buses in Cacak and Kraljevo. The police in the southern towns of Leskovac and Lebane also stopped buses and fined drivers, media reports said.

The protestors marched from the plateau in front of the St Sava temple to the Serbian Presidency building where a stage was set up facing a statue of Russian tzar Nicholas II across the street from the building.

The gathering demanded the rejection of the EU proposal, President Aleksandar Vucic’s resignation and immediate elections. The participants carried banners saying Kosovo is the Heart of Serbia, No Capitulation, We Won’t Give Up Holy Sites with some people shouting insulting remarks about Vucic.

SNS top official criticises opposition gathering over Kosovo issue (BETA, TV Pink)

The President of the Executive Board of the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS), Darko Glisic, said that the protest of the opposition against the acceptance of the Franco-German plan for Kosovo is the work of “irresponsible people who want more votes and are not interested in Kosovo”.

“The people appreciate that (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic works day and night to preserve peace“, Glisic told TV Pink on Saturday evening.

He made the statements in light of a gathering of the New Democratic Party of Serbia, the Movement for the Restoration of the Kingdom of Serbia, Oath Keepers and Dveri Movement organised on Friday in Belgrade. 

Opposition calls for new protest against European proposal (Radio KIM)

Dveri Movement leader Bosko Obradovic said yesterday during opposition gathering in front of Serbian public broadcaster RTS building that resignation of the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic is the only solution to the current political crisis and called for new protest on Friday, March 24, starting at 12:44, Radio KIM reports.

He opined that President Aleksandar Vucic “unauthorisedly undertook obligation” to start implementation of the agreement he accepted in Brussels on February 27.

“On this day (March 24) we will also mark the anniversary of the beginning of NATO bombing in all cities and municipalities where blockades will be held and we call for even stronger national unity regarding the request for Vucic to leave (the post)”, Obradovic said.  

Drecun: Progress made in Ohrid, ‘traps’ of EU proposal avoided (Tanjug, TV Pink)

Chairman of the Serbian Parliamentary Committee for Kosovo and Metohija, Milovan Drecun said Monday that Ohrid agreement on an implementation plan in the Belgrade-Pristina talks averted the danger of Belgrade recognizing Kosovo in any way and agreeing to its UN membership.

On the other hand, the possibility of Belgrade being blamed for rejecting the plan was avoided, too, as were certain Western penalising measures against Serbia, Drecun told Pink TV.

“The French-German proposal, which was later renamed to European, is full of traps because it went beyond the framework of status neutrality and treated Kosovo as a state. It requested Serbia to agree to treat its southern province as a state, as an international legal subject, and that it do not oppose its membership in international organisations including the UN. Also, initially a de facto and then also a de jure recognition was requested”, Drecun said.

He said no agreement, let alone a sustainable one, could be reached on such foundations.

There was also pressure from Pristina, which was refusing to establish a Community of Serb Municipalities, insisting that an agreement include a clause on mandatory mutual recognition, Drecun said.

“When you look at all that, progress was made in Ohrid – first of all, there was a realisation that an institutional framework needs to be formed to protect the Serbs through a Community of Serb Municipalities or, as the European plan says, through self-government for Serbs”, Drecun said.

Montgomery: Vucic deserves full support in fighting against pressure (Kosovo Online, Tanjug)

Former US Ambassador to Serbia, William Montgomery said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic deserves full support in an attempt to fight “difficult traps” and pressure Serbia is facing.

Commenting on the Ohrid meeting, Montgomery said the EU and US aim at getting Serbian recognition of Kosovo independence within its current borders, adding it is not a secret.

“Your president is very well aware of it and that explains his acts. I find it very interesting that Kurti constantly uses Kosovo Constitution as a reason why he can’t do certain things, and nobody says that this plan would require Serbia to change its own Constitution”, Montgomery told Tanjug news agency.

Three Serbian houses in Kosovo burglarized (Radio KIM)

Two Serb houses in the village of Batuse were burglarized on Sunday evening, while a house of Mitic family in the village of Laplje Selo was burglarized the night before, Office for Kosovo and Metohija said in a statement, Radio KIM reports.

“With these latest incidents, a series of burglaries and breaking into Serbian homes that became frequent over the last couple of weeks continues, and Serbs are not only sent the message that they are not welcomed but also their existence is directly endangered”, the Office said in a statement.

It added the latest incidents caused distress not only among targeted families, but also among their neighbours and Serbs who remain living at these two villages. The Office called for proper investigation into those cases and adequate punishment for those involved.

Opinion 

Serbia and Kosovo Weren’t Desperate Enough for an Ohrid Breakthrough (BIRN)

Opinion piece by Marcus Tanner.

That the North Macedonian summit was more of a damp squib than a historic turning point reflects the domestic position of the two leaders.

No one can blame EU diplomats for building up expectations of a “historic breakthrough” before Sunday’s crunch meeting in Ohrid between Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo’s PM Albin Kurti.

The air was thick with talk of windows about to close and opportunities about to be seized. If the wider world wasn’t that interested, the Balkan region was – gripped by a fantasy that one of the region’s hottest and longest-running conflicts was about to be dramatically cooled down via an artfully nuanced EU normalization plan that offered a morsel to everyone.

The Serbs would get an autonomous municipal association in Kosovo, giving Belgrade an informal but definite say in Kosovo’s internal governance.

Serbia would not give Kosovo diplomatic recognition, which its 2006 constitution excludes, but would be bound by an agreement not to try to represent Kosovo internationally, a de facto admission that it is a separate country, not a temporarily lost province.

EU diplomats were just doing their job in the run-up to Ohrid, which was to act like the professional US football cheerleading groups that stand on the touchlines, priming fans and players with synchronised joyful victory chants.

The actual results of Ohrid after all this hoopla were meagre, however.  The EU’s diplomacy chief, Josep Borrell, bravely tweeted after a day of talks: “We have a deal” – but where were the all-important signatures?

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Tq1HY1

Nenezic on the annex to the European agreement: A lot of bureaucracy about a little bit big obligations (KoSSev)

Dragutin Nenezic, a lawyer from Belgrade with more than ten years of work in Kosovo, analyzed for the KoSSev portal, 12 points of the document entitled “Implementation annex of the agreement on the road to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.

In the conclusion of his analysis for this portal, he said that for the EU this was a confirmation of its own importance in the conditions of the galloping redefinition of the famous “international circumstances”.

Nenezic wrote that the Annex was a classic example of Brussels’ bureaucratic new talk, and mostly dealt with various EU procedures, adding that for the first time possible sanctions were specified, which, as he said, were of limited scope.

For Pristina, this was an indisputable confirmation of the obligation that a CSM (ZSO) that was not a CSM (ZSO) must be formed, but it remained to be seen how it would work in real life. Pristina has already received its reward in the form of visa liberalization, and it was an open question whether and how this annex would affect its foreign policy priorities – recognition by some of the 5 remaining EU member states, and admission to, to begin with, the Council of Europe, wrote Nenezic, in his opinion piece for KoSSev.

To him, it was clear, from Kurti’s rhetoric (that it is a de facto recognition), that Pristina was aware that there was no formal recognition by Belgrade at this moment. Certainly, Pristina, with the cooperation of the EU, was an active party in this agreement.

For Belgrade, Nenezic assessed, there were no new direct obligations now. Indirectly, the president (Aleksandar Vucic) hinted in his address that, if the CSM (ZSO) was formed, there will be a return to the institutions and the holding of elections in North Kosovo, and that the National Assembly may have a say on everything, in some way. It remains to be seen how and when the provisions of the agreement, critical for Belgrade (concerning the recognition of certain elements of Pristina’s statehood), will be applied. Therefore, Belgrade was mostly a passive side here, which suffered something or renounced something.

Last but not least, for the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, this annex did not bring anything that could convince them that they would live better. On the ground, an attempt at pacification by the international factor was visible, but it still did not affect the actual situation. Finally, there was not even an attempt to explain from Belgrade what actually awaited them, but some outlines of it could be guessed primarily from the statements of the international factor. From Nenezic’s point of view, ” I am sure nothing good can be done until these things change,” reported portal KoSSev.

Lazarevic: These negotiations distance Serbia from Kosovo (N1, KoSSev)

Tatjana Lazarevic, editor of the KoSSev portal, said that people in Kosovo followed what was happening, but were not interested in the details of the negotiations. However, she estimated that these negotiations distance Serbia from Kosovo, reported N1.

“What they were interested in was also seen in the text of the agreement that was published on February 27. Despite all the “congestion” with information and propaganda, the people understood that the agreement was about whether they would accept the Community of Municipalities with a Serbian majority, which would be a substitute for Serbia’s new withdrawal. That is, whatever agreement is reached, it concerns high politics, in the sense that Serbia further withdraws from Kosovo and that not only the integration of the northern part of Kosovo into the rest of the Pristina system was completed, but also Kosovo’s independence from Pristina is completed,” Lazarevic stated. 

She pointed out that in the past 23 years there was no “building of peace” in Kosovo, but that we had an “industry of peace”, and that we  “attend it and today”. 

“Serbs in Belgrade must not receive the epithet of losers, and Serbs in Kosovo must receive guarantees for their safety, freedom, and that their rights will be implemented in practice. At this moment, the way Belgrade sees and solves the problem, and the way Pristina does it, you cannot have a proud Serb, because neither Belgrade nor Pristina want such a Serb. In the past 10 years, they have been trying not to have it in the north or the south,” Lazarevic said in a Saturday special show on TV N1 devoted to the Ohrid meeting.

Hoxha: For the USA more important not to waste time then the signature; inevitable formation of the CSM (ZSO) or whatever it’s called (KoSSev, Nova S, News Max Adria)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, reached an agreement on Saturday on the implementation of the first part of the Agreement for the Normalisation of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia. However, this document was not signed, due to the refusal of the Serbian president. 

Leart Hoxha, the editor of Pristina television ATV, spoke to Nova S News about the first reactions and what the agreement means for Pristina and Kurti, reported KoSSev portal. 

Hoxha said that it was expected that the signing would not take place because Gabriel Escobar, the US official announced it. On the other hand, he emphasised that Pristina’s tactic was to insist on signing and to hope that Serbia would withdraw.

He assesses that it was an interesting but not very successful tactic, because Serbia accepted the content and application, but not the formalisation of the agreement.

At the same time, he said that for American diplomats, it was more important than the signature to reach the finalisation of the agreement and to work on the ground, and not waste years in negotiations. On the other hand, he noted that the EU was now much more serious in its approach, recalling the last point of the annex that talks about the consequences related to the path to the EU, if the signed agreement was not implemented.

Hoxha noted that the point of the agreement, which referred to the appropriate degree of “self-governance” for the Serbian community, must actually be in accordance with the agreements from 2013 and 2015 that referred to the Community/Association of Serbian Municipalities and that in the following period, efforts must be made to include the Serbian community, drafting the statute.

He specified that it was now clear to everyone that this was inevitable, because the international community insisted on implementation, and since it was an “international obligation of Kosovo.”

“Whether it will be called CSM or not, I think Kurti will try to win something, with a name change or some cosmetic details,” Hoxha believed.

He also referred to the criticism of Kurti in Pristina that followed the talks in Ohrid.

“Kurti is criticised in Pristina because he partially built his career for 10 years by strongly opposing the CSM (ZSO) through political and parapolitical means, and now he will have to work, if not exactly on that formation, then on a similar formation or institution,” he said. 

On the other hand, he believed that if Kurti succeeds in “taking Serbia” off the agenda and starts dealing with important matters for the everyday life of citizens in Kosovo, then “he will do well”, reported KoSSev, citing Nova S.

Ognjen Gogic: Lower probability of the formation of the CSM (ZSO) after the Ohrid meeting (Danas)

“Contrary to the unfoundedly optimistic statements from Belgrade that the CSM (ZSO) is a priority obligation, the probability that it will be formed after the meeting in Ohrid is lower than it was before,” said political scientist Ognjen Gogic for Danas daily ana added that the Agreement did not refer explicitly the about the Community but about self-governance for the Serbian community.

According to Gogic, the Agreement on the Road to Normalisation of Relations together with its Annex, as the European proposal is officially called, was the result of a delicate compromise reached between Belgrade, Pristina, and Brussels.

Since Pristina did not get what it most desired, which is de jure recognition by Belgrade, then it could not be expected to agree to the most painful concession for it, the formation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities.

This was clearly reflected in the text of the Agreement and the Annex, where the CSM (ZSO) was not even mentioned.

“Belgrade’s position was first that the CSM (ZSO) must be formed before the acceptance of the European proposal, then that it will have a priority place within it, and finally the CSM is not even mentioned, nor is its priority determined in relation to other provisions of the Agreement. Until Ohrid, there was momentum for the formation of the CSM. In Kosovo, consultations were held regarding its statute, and Escobar and Lajcak declared that it must be formed unconditionally. However, that momentum will now be lost,” opined Gogic for Danas. 

The agreement did not speak explicitly about the Community but self-governance for the Serbian community. In the Annex, it was said that Pristina had an obligation to start negotiations on arrangements that would ensure self-governance.

Belgrade would interpret this as Pristina’s obligation to form the CSM (ZSO) without delay.

Pristina will not see it that way. Instead, Kurti may reactivate the proposal to form a national council of the Serbian community, like the one that exists in Croatia. He would consider that he has thus fulfilled his obligation.

Gogic also explained that the Agreement and the Annex reiterated the obligation to implement previously reached agreements, but states that there was no hierarchy or order among them.

“Kurti will remain of the position that no agreement is more important than the other and that the CSM can be formed at some point and under certain conditions. The EU will continue to repeat that the CSM must be formed, but it will not define any deadlines for that, nor will it condition Pristina to fulfil it because there are more important topics for the EU,” he noted. 

When asked on the basis of which he claims that the Agreement and the Annex bring only empty promises to the Serbian community in Kosovo without deadlines and guarantees for their fulfilment, the interlocutor of Danas pointed out that Belgrade would be able to complain that Pristina was not fulfilling its obligations, but without any mechanisms to affect it.

The technique of “constructive ambiguity” was again used in the writing of these documents, which allows parties to interpret the agreement differently, Gogic told Danas. 

Belgrade and Pristina will be able to present different interpretations of certain provisions, to argue about their implementation, to accuse each other of violating the Agreement, but not to significantly influence the behaviour of the other party- said Gogic to Danas daily. 

In the north, “confused” after Ohrid, they don’t know anything about plates, institutions… (N1)

Milica Andric Rakic from the New Social Initiative said that after the negotiations in Ohrid, there was general confusion in the north of Kosovo, assessing that the implementation plan was not nearly detailed enough and that they did not receive a clear message on how to get out of the situation they were in. It was important for the Serbs in Kosovo that the institutions that provide them with services were not considered illegal, that the people in those institutions do not face accusations of disrupting the Kosovo order just for doing so, said among other things Milica Andric Rakic for N1, stating that they did not even have an answer to the question – what about vehicle plates. 

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said after the meeting in Ohrid, that “some kind of agreement” had been reached, that several points had been agreed upon that would become an integral part of the negotiation framework of both sides.

“Under immediately, it was stated that the process of forming the CSM (ZSO) to go underway,” he said. He also said that there was no point in the implementation plan about Kosovo’s membership in international organizations. We have serious work ahead of us in the months ahead, said Vucic that evening, who pointed out that Serbia’s European path will depend on its implementation: “Pristina does not fulfill the CSM (ZSO), there is no progress for Pristina, Serbia has not fulfilled this and that – there is no progress for Serbia and this is now in the rules”.

She said that no one from the north of Kosovo can say with certainty how they feel about what we heard after the meeting in Ohrid, because, she said, there was general confusion about what was achieved.

“The implementation plan is nowhere near detailed enough. Before, we said that the Brussels agreement was ambiguous and non-transparent, but compared to what we got from Ohrid, it was a far more detailed and clearer document,” said the guest of N1 Studio Live.

As she added, “not that we did not receive a clear message on how to get out of the situation we are in, but it seems that the document has opened a new space for new conflicts and for different opinions and different interpretations” and as she said – it did not inspire confidence.

Andric Rakic stated that there was also skepticism about whether the agreement in Ohrid would ensure a peaceful situation on the ground, but as it is, ”it does not seem that it can even contribute to the pacification of the situation in the slightest”.

She reported that some media from Albania have announced that they would allegedly publish some parts of the annex that were agreed upon but were not published publicly.

The agreement, she said, was not enough to convince the Serbian community to follow a period of pacification, institutionalization and potentially improvement of the standard of living and quality of services. We didn’t get any of the messages that were crucial to us – we didn’t even get clarification on simple things like vehicle plates, adding that the outcome of the meeting was very disappointing. 

She opined that it seemed that the EU was afraid to declare a failure, which made sense because ”I am not sure that we, as a community, would be safe if the negotiations were declared a failure”. She added that she did not think it was wise to publish such a vague document.

As she stated, for the Serbian people in Kosovo, when they observe the dialogue, it was important how things related to them will be agreed upon. 

One of the biggest problems we have was that through the dialogue, we mostly talk about relations between Kosovo and Serbia and whether or not Kosovo will receive international recognition, while what was at the beginning of the dialogue – and that was the practical life of the people in Kosovo – was completely forgotten and we suffer incredible consequences in terms of how our daily life was organized because of the dialogue.  She said that it stopped mentioning ”us in any way – we are in the annex on self-governance, but again it is unclear”, interlocutor of N1 underlined. 

She assessed that the points on CSM (ZSO) from the 2013 Brussels Agreement were clearer than this one now.

”Now, we do not know whether the approach will really be the formation of the CSM, or some institutional body that will help us during the integration period, so that we don’t have big differences in the quality and standard of services that Serbia currently provides us, and that is of essential importance to us – more important than whether Kosovo, or Serbia will agree to something like a chair in the UN – which is unrealistic,” she added.