During the past week, representatives of Belgrade and Pristina discussed the telecommunications, energy, Community /Association of Serbian municipalities (ZSO) and “Peace Park”, at the technical level. According to unofficial information, after last week’s negotiations, the closest to the signing are the agreements on vehicle insurance and telecommunications, although there is the possibility for “new moments”. Sources close to the negotiators expect that also some kind of agreement on energy could be reached, although the most contentious issue – the property- remains opened.
While Belgrade delegation claims that Tahiri was criticised from the EU due to “presenting untruths about the content of the talks,” the Brussels-based sources speculate that the international dialling code for Kosovo will likely request Austria. Limited by the obligations from the Negotiating Framework with the EU and the previous agreements, official Belgrade will allegedly publicly justify it with an attempt “to avoid indirect recognition of Kosovo’s independence.” According to unofficial information, the problem is that against this solution are some influential members of the UN Security Council.
Western diplomatic circles argued that also negotiations for ZSO are not favourable for Belgrade. In case ZSO remain without political influence and competence, Belgrade is preparing to push in the public the story about Serbian national councils.
Who is silencing Edita Tahiri?
“Edita Tahiri always says what will happen and what is currently happening. Her tactic proved to be efficient for the public in Kosovo, but is also source of information outside of Kosovo. The European bureaucracy is responsible for encouraging Belgrade and Pristina to hide agreements from the public. When the public is not informed the manipulations start. In this respect, the team of Catherine Ashton caused great harm to negotiation process, and new team has gone a step further – they invented that Brussels is not responsible for the implementation of the Brussels agreement,” said political analyst Dusan Janjic.
Invitation and platform
“The dramatic invitation of Prime Minister Vucic to the Serbian citizens to show unity at the eve of talks with Pristina on June 23, in many ways reminiscent of the atmosphere on the eve of the signing of the Brussels Agreement, by which Serbia practically gave up Kosovo. This call resembles to the unity in betrayal and prepares the public in Serbia on further concessions during the negotiations on Kosovo and Metohija, which would complete the statehood of the separatist formations created with the help of the current government in Serbia,” said the Patriotic bloc in Kosovo. Patriotic Bloc asks, Serbian president Tomislav Nikolic whether tomorrow will be negotiated on “the basis of his platform on Kosovo, or it will experience the fate of previous platform.” The president of the State-building movement of Serbia, Slobodan Samardzic believes that “Vucic is in hurry to do more homework before the arrival of Angela Merkel in Belgrade. His homework is completion of the remaining obligations regarding the surrender of Kosovo and Metohija, for which the West gave him the last chance on 23 June in Brussels.”
Ethnic Integration
“The question is why one now insists on removing the Peace Park, when three or four crossings between the northern and southern part of Kosovska Mitrovica operate for pedestrians and traffic. It is obvious that it is necessary to start the project of return of Albanians in northern Mitrovica, which shows that Albanian side does not understand and does not recognize territorial, but only ethnic integration,” said Rada Trajkovic.
