Representatives of the European Union member states, at the moment, have nothing against Albin Kurti, leader of the Self-Determination movement, being at the helm of the technical dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, if it is about the firm agreement of the opposition parties in Kosovo, learned Danas from diplomatic circles after the signing of an agreement between the opposition block led by Ramush Haradinaj and Self-Determination movement.
Danas’ sources said that even though Kurti did not receive much of understanding in Brussels for his rigid stances toward the dialogue, that situation might change since Kurti has mitigated his stance with regard to dialogue with Belgrade.
“The message to Serbian public is that dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo will continue. Agreement which was signed between the opposition block and movement Self-Determination will be no obstacle, in any way, to continuation of the dialogue. That document has the goal to prepare ourselves, as better as possible, for the talks,” said Avni Arifi, political adviser to Ramush Haradinaj, who is the candidate for the prime minister of Kosovo.
On question what reaction he expects from Belgrade, he said that government and the prime minister of Kosovo are the ones that will be in the first line of any agreement or dialogue.
On question whether anyone from the Serbian List will take part in technical dialogue, Arifi said that those are questions which will be discussed later. Danas’ interlocutors in Belgrade also assessed that the fact that future talks might be led by Kurti won’t influence further flow of dialogue and that there won’t be any deadlock. According to them, by entering Haradinaj’s government representatives of that movement will have to do as instructed and they won’t be in position to set conditions. They also added that Kurti’s statement that dialogue can continue only in the form of talks between two sovereign states present a statement for everyday political consumption.
Borislav Stefanović, vice-president of the Democratic Party and former technical negotiator with Pristina, said to Danas that Kurti ‘has raised politically’ on the foundation of nationalistic and demagogic rhetoric, however by entering into a ‘quasi-state apparatus’ he is becoming the part of that very procedure. “Kurti will lead talks with Belgrade following instructions of the Kosovo government. What he says has nothing to do with what will actually take place, since he is not in position to set conditions. The statement that he will continue the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina only as talks between two sovereign states is more for the internal use. We used to have such examples on our side too, and now we see that they are all going to Brussels for negotiations,” Stefanović explained.
MP from the New Democratic Party, and former Minister for Kosovo and Metohija, Goran Bogdanović also doesn’t believe in a deadlock in negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina, since that is an ‘irreversible process’. “All those statements that negotiations will be held between two sovereign states are for everyday political purpose,” Bogdanovic said. “Sympathizers of Self-Determination were against the cooperation with Haradinaj, hence the agreement was signed with the coalition led by him. Also, Kurti used to say that he, as the leader of Self-Determination, will discontinue the negotiations with Belgrade, whereas now we see something different. Thus, they say one thing but they do another one, exactly like in the case of ours,” Bogdanović said.
Official of the Democratic Party of Serbia, and former Minister for Kosovo and Metohija, Slobodan Samardžić also believes that there won’t be changes in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and that all depends on how will Belgrade’s representatives position themselves, and whether they will defend the national interest, what was not the case so far. “Whoever be the one to negotiate in behalf of Pristina, there won’t be changes on our side. Serbia’s representatives have no platform, they neither have the basis nor requests and they are accepting everything that other side request,” said Samardžić to Danas.
