Albanian Language Media:

• Borrell, Lajcak to hold separate meetings with leaders, followed by joint meeting (media)
• Kurti on confiscation of 6,000 bullets in north: Another victory for rule of law (media)
• Kurti: Sending of draft law on Bureau to Constitutional Court, desperate move (media)
• Hoti reacts to Kurti: Who fears laws being sent to court, has political aims (Nacionale)
• Govt adopts formation of structures that will draft anti-corruption strategy (Gazeta 10)
• Govt spokesman: Court did not address 2013 agreement on Association (teve1)
• Kadrijaj: Support Govt in talks with Serbia if approach is in line with U.S. (Gazeta Blic)
• LDK official: If Kurti forms Association, agreement with Serbia reached (Gazeta Blic)
• Rasic: Serb parallel bodies pressuring Kosovo Serbs not to apply for aid (Express)
• Ahmeti on reserved seats: They shouldn’t exist forever (Nacionale)
• Specialist Chambers raid apartment of Thaci’s former advisor, reasons unknown (media)

Serbian Language Media:

• Residents of ZP: What if someone came to your property, and then turned up to negotiate over that same property? (KoSSev, media)
• Nenezic: To paraphrase Reagan’s words to Gorbachev – Mr. Kurti, tear down this base, and then we’ll talk (KoSSev, media)
• Jaksic announces lawsuit at public discussion in ZP, asking for suspension of expropriation (KoSSev, media)
• Andric Rakic: Meeting failed to fulfil legal requirements, what will be built on the expropriated land was not revealed (KoSSev, media)
• Vucic: CSM will be discussed in Brussels (FoNet, N1)
• Vucic talks to Spanish PM about Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Kosovo Online)
• Dacic meets with NATO's San (Tanjug)
• Kurti claims "Wagner" around, KFOR says "no evidence" (Kosovo Online, Reporteri, France 24, Klan Kosova)
• NADA: Foreign investors will not leave Serbia, if it refuses Franco-German proposal (Danas, Kosovo Online)

Opinion:

• Janjic: Vucic should not go to Brussels if there is no talk of CSM (ZSO) (KoSSev, Beta, N1)

International:

• EEAS statement on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (eeas.europa.eu)
• Lührmann: European proposal would remove obstacles on Serbia and Kosovo EU paths (EWB) 

     

Albanian Language Media  

  Borrell, Lajcak to hold separate meetings with leaders, followed by joint meeting (media)

On Monday, 27 February High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell will convene a High-level Meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue in Brussels, the European Union External Action (EEAS) said today. 

The media statement notes that “President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti confirmed their participation.”

“The High Representative, supported by EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák, will hold separate meetings with the leaders, starting at 15:00, followed by a joint meeting. The meeting will focus on the EU Proposal on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.”

“There will be a statement to the media by the High Representative at the end of the meeting. The press statement by High Representative Borrell will be transmitted live on Europe by Satellite.”

Kurti on confiscation of 6,000 bullets in north: Another victory for rule of law (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti commended a police operation that resulted in the confiscation of over 6,000 bullets that an arms trafficker was trying to smuggle into Kosovo from Serbia. “Another victory for rule of law: Kosova Police have detained an arms trafficker attempting to smuggle 6,300 bullets from Serbia. Our Govt has zero tolerance for arms & drug trafficking, organised crime & any effort to support violence or conflict—anywhere on our territory,” Kurti wrote on Twitter.

Kurti: Sending of draft law on Bureau to Constitutional Court, desperate move (media)

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti commented today on the decision of the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) to send to the Constitutional Court the draft law on the State Bureau for the Verification and Confiscation of Unjustifiable Wealth. Kurti argued that it is a desperate move and “an attempt to paralyse reforms”. “It is also an open opposition to the needs of society, the civic request and the democratic will expressed on February 14, 2021. Regardless of this, our commitment remains the same. Our zeal grows stronger, and we will not stop in our path. Today we are taking the next step in the strategy against corruption, and I am confident that we will vote in favour of it today,” Kurti said in today’s government meeting.

Hoti reacts to Kurti: Who fears laws being sent to court, has political aims (Nacionale)

MP from the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) and former Prime Minister, Avdullah Hoti, reacted to a statement by Prime Minister Albin Kurti who criticised opposition parties for sending laws to the Constitutional Court. Hoti said in his reaction that laws are sent to the Court when there are doubts of threats to the constitutional order. He also argued that “whoever fears and expresses opposition to laws being sent to the Constitutional Court, has political and not noble objectives, which are not in the interest of the people but are rather personal interests”.

Govt adopts formation of structures that will draft anti-corruption strategy (Gazeta 10)

The Kosovo government adopted today the proposal to establish the structures that will draft the anti-corruption strategy. Prime Minister Albin Kurti said they have started their mandate by fighting corruption and organised crime. “We started our mandate by being close to the citizens and by fighting corruption and organised crime through fair and brave policies of a government with clean hands,” he said.

“Our results have been confirmed by Transparency International and the corruption perception index, where the Republic of Kosovo has achieved a progress of 20 points in the last two years. We will continue with the same pace,” Kurti said.

Kurti also said that a ministerial committee will be formed for the anti-corruption strategy, led by Finance Minister Hekuran Murati. “The committee will be led by Finance Minister Hekuran Murati, and including other ministers: Albulena Haxhiu [Justice], Xhelal Svecla [Interior Affairs] and Artane Rizvanolli [Economic Development]. Together they will draft the action plan by December and the government will vote on it at the end of the year,” he said.

Govt spokesman: Court did not address 2013 agreement on Association (teve1)

Spokesman for the Kosovo government, Perparim Kryeziu, said in an interview with teve1 TV station that the Constitutional Court did not address the First Agreement on the Association from 2013. He said that in the agreement from 2015, the Court found that it is in opposition to the point that talks about multiethnicity. 

“The agreement from 2015 was challenged at the Constitutional Court. In 2015, among the 23 violations, the Court said that it is not in compliance with Article 3 of the Constitution. The comprising element of this article is multiethnicity. There cannot be an entity whose comprising part is ethnicity in a multiethnic society. This is the decision of the Constitutional Court and the reading of every legal expert,” he said.

Kryeziu argued that the Court could not undo the agreement from 2013 because it did not address it. “If the Constitutional Court rejected the agreement, why should it go to the Assembly? When the Constitutional Court was asked about the agreement from 2015, there is no doubt that the basis of the agreement from 2015 is the agreement from 2013. The Constitutional Court responds only to the question it is asked, it does not respond to potential sub-questions that may derive. The only reason why the Court in its interpretation said that it should be formed based on the agreement from 2013 is that first it did not address it and second through its interpretation of the agreement from 2015 it cannot undo the agreement from 2013, because it was not its subject. How can the source of the agreement from 2015 which falls in contravention with 23 points of the Constitution, not be in opposition with the Constitution,” Kryeziu argued.

Kadrijaj: Support Govt in talks with Serbia if approach is in line with U.S. (Gazeta Blic)

MP from the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo (AAK) Time Kadrijaj said in an interview with the news website today that the AAK will support the Kurti-led government in talks with Serbia under the condition that its approach is in line with the United States of America.

“As far as dialogue is concerned, the Prime Minister has been neglecting the Assembly for some time now. The opposition does not have information about the agenda of the dialogue. Regarding the talks with Serbia, the AAK supports the Kosovo government under the condition that its approach is in full agreement with our allies, especially with the United States,” she said.

Kadrijaj said the French-German plan “is a good basis for reaching further progress and removing the existing barriers, which should conclude with the mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia”.

Rasic: Serb parallel bodies pressuring Kosovo Serbs not to apply for aid (Express)

Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic, said that representatives of Serb-majority municipalities and heads of Serb parallel bodies are pressuring Kosovo Serbs that want to apply for the announcement made by his ministry and which involves humanitarian aid.

“I am asking all representatives of institutions, especially those operating according to the Serbian system, but also those in the Kosovo system, especially the mayors, not to obstruct our citizens by not giving them the possession lists. I have seen different things in my political career and most of them were not pleasant, but if the information I have turns out to be true, this means that we have not only reached the lowest point of moral values, but I also need to say that these people should know that they are committing a criminal offence. We appeal to all representatives of municipal authorities, mayors and representatives of Serb parallel bodies not to threaten, blackmail, block or stop citizens from getting their possession lists and other documents that they need to contact our ministry for humanitarian aid,” Rasic said.

Rasic further argued that “this is a psychological and moral precedent. To stop your fellow citizens, your relatives, neighbours, and friends, from benefiting the funds that are dedicated to them.”

According to Rasic, he has received confirmation that representatives of institutions, primarily those from Serb parallel bodies, are obstructing citizens from applying to the announcement for the construction of houses, the allocation of construction material, hygienic and food packages, as well as support for small businesses owners.

“The most brutal example is that a fellow citizen from Prilluzhe, who applied yesterday, his wife works in the municipality, was forced to ask for the withdrawal of his request, because a person named Milan Kostic threatened that his wife would be expelled from work if he accepts Kosovo aid. This is the most concrete example, and I must say that I believe that the institutions will do their work and find out who is making threats in the municipalities for the sake of their own political profits,” Rasic added.

LDK official: If Kurti forms Association, agreement with Serbia reached (Gazeta Blic)

Member of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Shqipe Pantina, told the news website that an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia can be reached if there is willingness among the parties, “so if Prime Minister Kurti is ready to do this, it is possible”.

Pantina said that reaching an agreement requires the formation of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities and that if Kurti forms it, chances for an agreement are realistic.

Pantina also said she doesn’t believe an agreement will be reached in Kurti’s meeting with Vucic on February 27, “but I believe there will be an accord based on which the details of the agreement will then be drafted”. “Both Kurti and Vucic speak differently to the local media and differently with international media, but what is important is what they say before the mediators, and in this case, both of them have implied that they will sign the agreement. They are simply looking for excuses to maintain the support of their voters,” she added.

Ahmeti on reserved seats: They shouldn’t exist forever (Nacionale)

Former Mayor of Pristina, Shpend Ahmeti, commented on the topic of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, on Tuesday, saying that the reserved seats in the Assembly are more undemocratic than the Association. He argued that the reserved seats should not exist forever.

“The reserved seats are more undemocratic than any kind of association. I am not talking about the security from constitutional amendments that can impact the rights of minority communities, but about simple democracy. Even if a party wins 50 percent of votes, it cannot create a government because it needs 61 MPs, so in reality it needs 60 percent of the vote. Moreover, a party with 40 percent can form a government because it can take 20 MPs from the minority communities and form the government,” Ahmeti said.

“There are many countries that require a qualified majority for important decisions but even those 2/3 are elected and represent the vote of the people. We know why the reserved seats exist, but they shouldn’t exist forever. We need to believe in the rights of minorities and uphold them, and not have security mechanisms that threaten democracy,” he argued.

Specialist Chambers raid apartment of Thaci’s former advisor, reasons unknown (media)

Several news websites report that the Specialist Chambers have raided this morning the apartment of Adil Behramaj, an owner of a news website and former advisor to ex-Kosovo President Hashim Thaci. The reasons for the raid are not known yet.

Nacionale reports that Artan Behrami, political commentator and former advisor to Thaci, commented on the raid saying that it is a scandal and a threat to all reporters. “The raid at the apartment of our friend and owner of the media ‘Demokracia’, Adil Behramaj, by the Prosecution of the Specialist Chambers, is an unprecedented scandal. This is an open threat against reporters and the freedom of the media in Kosovo. Without preempting the motives, intimidating reporters does not suit the Specialist Prosection,” Behrami wrote on Facebook.

Koha notes in its coverage that the Specialist Prosecutor’s Office did not agree to comment on the media reports.

   

Serbian Language Media 

  Residents of ZP: What if someone came to your property, and then turned up to negotiate over that same property? (KoSSev, media)

More than 138 hectares of land were expropriated in the last six months in Leposavic and Zubin Potok municipalities. The Kosovo government justified its decisions in one brief announcement: The expropriations were carried out due to “infrastructural projects of public importance“, KoSSev portal reports.

The decision was met by protests from residents, who expressed their dissatisfaction and concerns. It was only after the EU reacted, objecting to the procedure, that the Kosovo authorities decided to schedule two public discussions on the issue – one was held in Leposavic last week and the other on February 21 in Zubin Potok.

The locals once again shared their dissatisfaction over this decision with the Kosovo government representatives yesterday. They stressed that they were never notified that their land would be expropriated.

Even after the second discussion ended, however, questions from locals, civil representatives, and lawyers as to “what is being built“ remained unanswered. The representatives of the Expropriation Department from Pristina kept reiterating the messages on “road construction,“ placing “optical cables,“ “economic development“, “increasing security“, and the “well-being of the citizens and children”.

Citizens say that such answers leave them feeling offended and humiliated – for the second time. This is further exacerbated, they added, by an armed police presence.

In addition, as farmers they argue that because their land was expropriated, they are no longer able to support their families. Their woods and land have been covered by asphalt, jeeps “driving around in the hills“ and machinery.

One of the residents from Gornji Jasenovik, Milorad Djukic said a one-kilometre asphalt road has been built though his property and it was never there.

“If we wanted to bury someone now, we would have to carry them 50 metres over junk and rocks, in order to reach the cemetery that has been there for years“, he said, noting he believes there was no need to build a road there.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/41khJ96 Nenezic: To paraphrase Reagan’s words to Gorbachev – Mr. Kurti, tear down this base, and then we’ll talk (KoSSev, media)

Speaking in a public discussion on expropriation in Zubin Potok yesterday, Dragutin Nenezic, a lawyer representing families whose land was expropriated by Kosovo authorities, said that “if you (Pristina) care about the rule of law, then these facilities should be demolished. The people on whose land they were built should be compensated, not for expropriation but rather for the usurpation of their land during that period, or occupation, whatever you want to call it, and this procedure should be suspended“.

Over the past several months, over 138 hectares of land has been expropriated in the north, a move that was met with a protest from local residents, who complain that they were not informed about it. They furthermore pointed to the absence of public discussion on the issue, noting that special police bases are currently under construction on the land in question. Locals also warned that “militarization and occupation“ are being carried out in the north, with the aim of “tearing it apart“.

Nenezic argued that public debate organised after the bases were constructed on disputable properties was pointless. “You’ve already done something and only now, as colleagues have already pointed out, are conducting a discussion to produce some semblance of legality. Everything that was built without an expropriation procedure carried out in accordance with the law presents an illegal construction and no public discussion can subsequently legitimise it”, he said.

Nenezic listed two decisions of the European Court of Human Rights, pointing out similarities with the way in which expropriation is carried out in the north.

“I would like to draw attention to two decisions. One is the decision of Sarik Idil against Turkey, which concerns precisely the illegal construction by the security authorities. The second is the decision – Papamihalopoulos v. Greece, which is even more interesting. It is also about the illegal construction carried out by security authorities that started during the military dictatorship in Greece“, he said.

He underlined that the Greek case bears strong similarities with the issue of expropriation in the north: “Not only in the terms of the lawlessness of these actions, but also in the character of the regime that implements it“, he added.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3XTdGh2 Jaksic announces lawsuit at public discussion in ZP, asking for suspension of expropriation (KoSSev, media)

Everyone who participates in the process of illegal expropriation – from the Prime Minister (Albin Kurti), “safari” Minister (Xhelal) Svecla, but you as well, deserves to face criminal charges and will face them – a former colleague of Oliver Ivanovic and an heir of one of the plots that are being expropriated, Marko Jaksic, told Pristina official at the public discussion held in Zubin Potok yesterday.

According to Jaksic, the entire land expropriation process is illegal. He called on Pristina to suspend it, remove the bases and initiate talks with Serbs from the north about infrastructure projects in the interest of all communities in Kosovo, because “what was taken by force, will be returned by force“.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3KtOb2U Andric Rakic: Meeting failed to fulfil legal requirements, what will be built on the expropriated land was not revealed (KoSSev, media)

“You are getting some very serious objections and you will find yourself in that situation again until you start doing your job properly. So far, you have not been doing so, and you are here today under the pressure from the international community“, Milica Andric Rakic from the NGO New Social Initiative told the representatives of the Expropriation Department from Pristina at public discussion on land expropriation in Zubin Potok yesterday.

According to Andric Rakic, yesterday’s public discussion failed to fulfil legal requirements, as the residents and the public were not notified as to what would be built on the expropriated land.

“Until you clearly state what you plan to do with each plot, you cannot claim that you have articulated to us what exactly the ‘public interest’ is that would justify expropriation being carried out“, argued Andric Rakic.

“You cannot claim that you are enforcing the law. Your approach to the law today is so liberal, it’s fascinating. How can you say that a citizen is obliged to address you in the Albanian language? You are a representative of an institution, you must respect both languages. Citizens are not required to know both languages, nor to think about the ethnicity of the competent official“, she said.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/41v0wdx Vucic: CSM will be discussed in Brussels (FoNet, N1)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said that, at his meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on February 27 in Brussels, there will be talk on the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) because he will talk about it, and “by God so will the European representatives”.

“I will always go to talk, but there is no talking with Kurti. He starts talking about (the late President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) Slobodan Milosevic, about his own suffering, about (the late Kosovo politician) Adem Demaci, and you realise that he is stuck in those times and that’s it”, Vucic told Pink TV from Abu Dhabi, where he attended the IDEX 2023 defence exhibition.

A new round of talks between Vucic and Kurti, within the European Union-mediated dialogue, is scheduled for Monday, February 27.

Kurti said on Monday that the CSM will not be a topic of discussion in Brussels.

Vucic talks to Spanish PM about Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (Kosovo Online)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic spoke over the phone with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and advancement of economic cooperation between two states, Kosovo Online portal reports.

“Very good and important conversation with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. I acquainted a true friend of Serbia with the course of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, thanked him for the support he extends, to the both, the dialogue process and support on international public law norms. We also spoke about advancing economic cooperation between Serbia and the Kingdom of Spain”, Vucic wrote on his official Instagram account.  

Dacic met with NATO's San (Tanjug)

Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic met with NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Operations Burcu San on Tuesday to discuss the present Serbia-NATO cooperation, the security situation in Kosovo-Metohija and the role of the NATO-led KFOR mission, reported Tanjug agency.

Dacic informed San of the present situation in Kosovo-Metohija and especially noted the significance and role of unbiased and status-neutral KFOR engagement with the main objective of preserving peace and stability, as well as protection of Serbs and other non-Albanians in the province.

San noted that NATO respected Serbia's policy of military neutrality and that KFOR continued to perform its mandate in a status-neutral manner, in line with UN SC Resolution 1244.

They agreed that progress had been made in political dialogue and reviewed possibilities for further advancement of Serbia-NATO cooperation with the aim of maintaining peace and advancing stability in the region.

Kurti claims "Wagner" around, KFOR says "no evidence" (Kosovo Online, Reporteri, France24, Klan Kosova)

The Kosovo Online portal, citing Reporteri portal, reported that Kosovo PM Albin Kurti has repeatedly spoken about the presence of the "Wagner" and "Night Wolves" in the north of Kosovo, but the claim was not confirmed by KFOR. 

Commander of KFOR, Angelo Michele Ristuccia, said that KFOR is aware of the situation in Kosovo including the north. 

He added that in addition to KFOR, 27 NATO allies are working to ensure peace and stability in Kosovo.

"First of all, it is our professional and moral duty to fully understand the situation. Let's give each phenomenon its proper dimension. And allow me to assure the entire population of Kosovo that we clearly know about everything that is happening on the ground," Ristuccia told Klan Kosova in an interview published yesterday.

He stated that KFOR has "a clear picture of what is happening".

Kurti previously said that there are 48 operational bases around Kosovo, some of which are the "Wagner" group, and the "Night Wolves", reported Kosovo Online, citing Reporteri.

"Serbia became more aggressive towards Kosovo after the Russian invasion in Ukraine. There are 48 operational bases around Kosovo, of which 28 are military and 20 gendarmerie, where Wagner and Night Wolves mercenaries have been seen," said Kurti in an interview with "France 24" two days ago, recalled Reporteri. 

When asked if the presence of these two groups was registered, based on Prime Minister Kurti's statements, KFOR Commander said that there is currently no evidence of this.

"We have no evidence of what you mean at this time. We have no information about it. But we are closely following the development of the situation," replied Ristuccia, reported Kosovo Online.

He, however, did not deny the "existence of Serbian criminal groups", which he said that "the Kosovo police are doing a good job of disbanding them", cited the portal.

NADA: Foreign investors will not leave Serbia, if it refuses Franco-German proposal (Danas, Kosovo Online)

NADA Coalition assessed today “as fully ungrounded” claims that foreign investors will leave Serbia should it refuse the so-called Franco-German proposal for Kosovo, Kosovo Online portal reports.

NADA Coalition members New Democratic Party of Serbia (Nova DSS) and Movement for Renewal of Serbian Kingdom (POKS) said such claims represent “an attempt of manipulation aiming at intimidating citizens” as well as that they “represent an unskilful justification for capitulation and indecent trade with national interests”.

They noted that “only 120 out of 1.404 companies withdrew from Russia, respectively only 8.5 percent of foreign investors from countries that imposed sanctions on Russia”.

“If only 8.5 percent of foreign investors left Russia, perceived by the West as an enemy state and to which it imposed sanction, then in Serbia, where there are no sanctions at all, that number in case that someone would leave at all could only be much smaller”, Milos Jovanovic, leader of Nova DSS said.

According to him things are very clear “there are neither excuses nor justification for capitulation”.

Leader of POKS, Vojislav Mihailovic said “capital knows no boundaries or politics”, adding foreign investors came to Serbia because of cheap labour force and large subventions.

   

Opinion 

  Janjic: Vucic should not go to Brussels if there is no talk of CSM (ZSO) (KoSSev, Beta, N1)

Political analyst Dusan Janjic said today that the EU's high representative for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, and the EU's special representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajcak, would have to inform the Serbian public about what they will discuss with Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti on February 27 in Brussels, reported portal KoSSev, citing Beta news agency.

"Vucic should not go to Brussels, if one of the topics at that meeting is not the Community of Serbian Municipalities. If he does go to Brussels, then there should be no meeting with Kurti without discussing the CSM (ZSO)," Janjic told Beta. 

He opined that, in these two to three days, the intervention of the "big five" countries would have to follow - to define the agenda in Brussels.

"If there is no talk of the CSM (ZSO) in Brussels, it will increase Russian influence in Serbia. Vucic will be declared a traitor, because he said that he will not go to Brussels unless Kurti "delivers" the CSM (ZSO). Kurti stumbles the dialogue by not accepting the formation of the CSM, and Vucic by lobbying for the derecognition of Kosovo's independence, which is against the principles of the European plan for solving the Kosovo issue".

After Kurti's statement that he would not discuss the CSM in Brussels, the analyst added, Vucic has three possibilities.

"He does not have the possibility of no one from the Serbian government going to Brussels. He can go to Brussels, but not see Kurti. This time, Vucic can demand and with full right that Borrell and Lajcak do their job. Borrell previously said that everything was ready for a meeting between the three of them, which according to Kurti's statement is not true. They must explain to the Serbian public what the trick is," says Janjic.

At the same time, he pointed out that the CSM cannot even be implemented, unless the Serbs return to the Kosovo institutions first.

"At this moment, there is a lack of information on whether it is true that the director of the Office for KiM Petar Petkovic said that the management team created a second version of the ZSO Statute. The main question is where that version is and what it says. The key topic of the meeting in Brussels should be whether and what is being done on the formation of the CSM," said Janjic.

   

International 

  EEAS statement on Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (eeas.europa.eu)

On Monday, 27 February High Representative/Vice President Josep Borrell will convene a High-level Meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue in Brussels. 

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti confirmed their participation. 

The High Representative, supported by EU Special Representative Miroslav Lajčák, will hold separate meetings with the leaders, starting at 15:00, followed by a joint meeting. The meeting will focus on the EU Proposal on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

There will be a statement to the media by the High Representative at the end of the meeting. The press statement by High Representative Borrell will be transmitted live in Europe by Satellite link.

See at: https://bit.ly/3IpL0H2 Lührmann: European proposal would remove obstacles on Serbia and Kosovo EU paths (EWB)

Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić will have a high-level political meeting in Brussels on 27 February. The focus of the meeting will be the French-German proposal for the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Albin Kurti said at the beginning of this month that Kosovo accepts the European plan, along with six conditions for forming the Association of Serbian Municipalities (ASM). On the other side, the President of Serbia has yet to declare whether he accepts the proposal or not formally. However, according to his statements, the political agreement with Pristina is impossible without implementation of ASM. International community underlines that the formation of ASM is an early agreed obligation, adding that the European proposal represents a step forward in the normalisation of relations, in which the main goal is to improve the lives of all citizens in Kosovo.

About the perspective of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the importance of the Berlin process, the state of democracy, and the enlargement process in the Western Balkans, we spoke with the Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office of Germany, Anna Lührmann.

European Western Balkans: How do you see the current negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo? Do you believe that accepting the French-German proposal will improve the situation? 

Anna Lührmann: Progress towards a sustainable normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia is more urgent than ever. The European proposal, which is based on a German-French initiative, is a unique opportunity for both Serbia and Kosovo. Accepting the proposal would fundamentally and sustainably improve the relations between the countries.

It can boost the process of normalisation in the interest of their citizens. It would remove obstacles on the path to further EU integration and economic development. And it would certainly be a political and economic boost for the entire Western Balkans region, which is being held back by this unresolved issue. All EU members hope that Serbia and Kosovo seize this historic and unique chance. Europe is embracing the region as never before: Our arms are wide open, but we need both parties to act constructively.

Read full interview at: https://bit.ly/3KqfkE0