The Community/Association of Serbian municipalities (ZSO) in Kosovo will be established within the agreed time frame and in accordance with the Brussels agreement, said the participants of a panel discussion on the normalization of Belgrade-Pristina relations held in Brussels late on Monday.
The name "Republic of Kosovo" is not stated in the agreement on the energy sector, which was recently signed by the representatives of Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, but it is written in the so-called "disclaimer", i.e. statement on disclaimer of liability which is located in the main text of the agreement. The part states views of both sides on the property issues in Kosovo.
The Serbian Government's Office for Kosovo and Metohija has denied the claim made by Edita Tahiri, Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, that Belgrade "recognized Kosovo."
According to Edita Tahiri, whose statement was carried earlier on Thursday by Beta agency, Serbia did this "through the agreement on energy" reached earlier this week, which, according to her, contains the term "the Republic of Kosovo."
Kosovo minister without portfolio and chief negotiator in talks with Belgrade, Edita Tahiri, announced that the new round of talks will take place on 24 and 25 August in Brussels and will tackle Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities, Iber bridge barricade and obstacles Serbia is presenting to implementation of agreement on energy. Tahiri said agreement of 13 April 2013 stipulates that Serbia should not hinder Kosovo in international integration and, as a result, in international institutions such as UNESCO.
The Kosovo government has decided today to dissolve the so-called Civil Protection that has operated as a parallel security structure in the northern municipalities. The government’s decision foresees: the integration in Kosovo’s institutions of 483 persons who were members of this structure, and taking over all facilities that were previously used by the Civil Protection.
Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio, Edita Tahiri, said on Monday that the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities cannot have any executive powers and that it cannot take decisions. According to her, the Association/Community will operate according to the Constitution of Kosovo. She said that Kosovo’s and Serbia’s stances on this issue are very different. Tahiri made these comments during a debate “Association/Community – two names, two goals” organized by the Kosovo Institute for Local Governance.
Kosovo’s minister without portfolio and head of Pristina negotiating team, Edita Tahiri, announced that the barricade on the River Iber bridge will be removed by 1 October and the first stage of pedestrian movement will begin at that time. According to Tahiri, the other part of the agreement to enable car traffic through the bridge will be implemented at a later stage. She said this was the proposal of the EU and added that the Kosovo side has agreed to it.
One of the main topics of talks between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels is about the Association/Community of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO). Attitudes are different in Serbia and Kosovo on jurisdiction and the format of this Association/Community. Question of jurisdiction of the ZSO is completed, said Edita Tahiri, and Ilir Deda of Self-Determination claims that Kosovo will be the second BiH with this community.
The question of the powers of the Community/Association of Serbian municipalities, the head of Kosovo's negotiating team, Edita Tahiri considered complete.
Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue, Edita Tahiri, is leading the working groups in the dialogue with Serbia in Brussels. The talks, which are brokered by the European Union, are focused on the energy, telecommunications, the barricade on the Ibar Bridge and the Association/Community of Serb-majority Municipalities.
Pristina and Belgrade working groups met yesterday in Brussels to discuss issues relating to telephony. Head of Kosovo delegation, Edita Tahiri, said the parties discussed finalizing an action plan whereby Kosovo will receive an international dial code. She said there is agreement for mobile operators from Kosovo and Serbia to cooperate on roaming services and she also announced that a new telephony company will be temporarily licensed in Kosovo. At the conclusion of the meeting, the parties agreed to continue talks on 22 June.