• Chollet urges Kurti to accept EU proposal (RFE)
• U.S. Embassy confirms organisation of discussion on Association (Koha)
• Rasic confirms he received invitation to discussion on Association (RFE)
• Hill: Association, an obligation from Brussels Agreement (media)
• President Osmani interview for Corriere dela Serra (media)
• Lajcak lobbying with countries that don’t recognise Kosovo (Indeksonline)
• EU, US piling pressure on Serbia to accept Kosovo plan, Vucic says (BIRN)
• Borrell meets Dacic, underlines importance to implement obligations (media)
• Lajcak meets Dacic; “exchanged views about dialogue” (media)

Chollet urges Kurti to accept EU proposal (RFE)

Counselor to the U.S. State Department, Derek Chollet, said on Tuesday that he has urged Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti to accept the EU proposal for the normalisation of relations with Serbia. “Spoke with PM Albin Kurti today to discuss the EU proposal on normalization of relations with Serbia and to urge Kosovo to accept it.  A key theme was our partnership and shared goal of advancing Kosovo’s European & Euro-Atlantic integration,” Chollet tweeted.

Chollet said that they also discussed “the importance of Kosovo’s multiethnic character and moving forward with discussions of the Association of Serb majority municipalities in the context of the dialogue, and the need for Kosovan Serb official to return to their posts”.

U.S. Embassy confirms organisation of discussion on Association (Koha)

The United States Embassy in Pristina confirmed on Tuesday to Koha that it will organise a discussion on the Association of Serb-majority municipalities on January 31. The Embassy said invitations have been sent to civil society leaders, government officials, political leaders, and diplomats. “We are inviting a group of leaders from civil society, government officials, political leaders, and diplomats, to discuss on this important topic. Our goal is to advance mutual understanding about the engagement related to the Association, in support of the EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia,” the embassy said. It also noted that the discussion is in line with the sustainable objective of the U.S. to advance Kosovo’s integration in European and Euro-Atlantic structures and a reflection of the long friendship and support for the people of Kosovo.

Rasic confirms he received invitation to discussion on Association (RFE)

Kosovo’s Minister for Communities and Returns, Nenad Rasic, said on Tuesday he has received an invitation to the discussion organised by the U.S. Embassy in Pristina about the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. “I expect it will be a good meeting,” he said.

Rasic also said that his position is that the agreements that have been reached in the dialogue cannot be ignored. In this context, he said, there must be analysis into the recommendations of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo in 2015 to harmonise the Association with the Constitution and laws of Kosovo.

Hill: Association, an obligation from Brussels Agreement (media)

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia, Christopher Hill, said on Tuesday that the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is an obligation from the Brussels Agreement. “All negotiators, both in the European Union and the United States, have confirmed that this is an obligation that comes from the Brussels Agreement. It is a key element to move forward. Then comes what is said in the French-German plan, which has the EU support. It includes broader ideas that will require a little more time,” Hill said.

Hill also remarked that the Association cannot be formed immediately, and that work is needed on several aspects.

President Osmani interview for Corriere dela Serra (media)

Most media cover an interview that Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani gave to Corriere dela Serra during her stay in Italy. Osmani argued that Serbia is to blame for the tensions in the north of Kosovo and said that “they [Serbia] have turned the border with Kosovo into a shelter for those that are sanctioned by Europe”.

Osmani argued that the Constitution of Kosovo “protects the minorities more than any other country in Europe. We used the best human rights traditions because we wanted to make sure that everyone feels safe and welcomed. We were discriminated first and we know what that means”.

Read more at: https://bit.ly/3Hwm9SK

Lajcak lobbying with countries that don’t recognise Kosovo (Indeksonline)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met on Tuesday with the Greek envoy for the Western Balkans, Sofia Gramata. “With Greek envoy for the Western Balkans, I spoke about our efforts on advancing normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the important role of Greece in the region,” Lajcak tweeted.

EU, US piling pressure on Serbia to accept Kosovo plan, Vucic says (BIRN)

President Aleksandar Vucic told media on Monday evening that representatives of the EU and US told him that if Serbia does not accept the so-called Franco-German proposal for future relations with Kosovo, its European Union integration process will be halted and investments will be blocked.

Vucic said he was told that “you must accept this plan, and if you do not accept it … you will face, number one, the interruption of the European integration process; number two… the stoppage and withdrawal of investments; and number three, comprehensive measures in the political and economic sense that will cause great damage to the Republic of Serbia”.

In his speech on Monday evening, Vucic said that he could have responded by saying, “get out, we’re not going to talk about anything”. But he said that would have meant “there will be consequences”.

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

Borrell meets Dacic, underlines importance to implement obligations (media)

EU High Representative Josep Borrell met with Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic in Brussels on Tuesday. A press release issued by Borrell’s office notes that he reiterated the EU’s commitment to Serbia’s EU path. “In this context, he looked forward to continued progress in implementation of reforms and commitments taken in the framework of accession negotiations, including on rule of law and media freedom. He also welcomed Serbia’s steps towards aligning its visa policy with the EU.”

“On the EU-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, High Representative Borrell reiterated the need to overcome the permanent crisis management, and therefore expected constructive engagement on the EU’s recent proposal on normalisation of relations. He took positive note of President Vucic’s public intervention on this issue yesterday. The High Representative further underlined the importance for both parties to fully implement all pending Dialogue obligations, including the establishment of the Association/Community Serb-majority municipalities.”

Read full press release at: https://bit.ly/4020Qzt

Lajcak meets Dacic; “exchanged views about dialogue” (media)

EU Special Representative for the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, met with Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ivica Dacic, in Brussels on Tuesday. “We exchanged views about the Dialogue on normalisation of relations in the context of Serbia’s EU aspirations,” Lajcak tweeted after the meeting.