Do the authorities in Pristina slowly back down in negotiations with Serbia? Blic daily wonders today reporting on a statement of Kosovo Foreign Minister, Beghjet Paccoli, who said that Belgrade should not recognize independence of Kosovo, but it should not impede Pristina’s road to the EU. Blic daily assessed this statement as something that gives hope for the future negotiations.

According to Pacolli, Serbia is an important factor for peace and stability in the Balkans, and Belgrade can contribute a lot to that by accepting the fact Kosovo is independent. This is practically the first statement of Pristina official in which Belgrade is not explicitly asked to recognize Kosovo, Blic daily further reported. For two days, Kosovo Government did not make public reaction to Pacolli’s statement, neither to confirm nor refute it as its official policy. Serbian President Vucic said earlier, if a dialogue is only to recognize Kosovo, then Serbia would say “thank you and good bye.” Such Pacolli’s proposal, according to Blic, if nothing else, is a step toward the dialogue. Reactions Serbian Minister for European Integration, Jadranka Joksimovic said that the Belgrade-Pristina issue surpasses the region. “It is an issue and matter of relations within the EU as five member-states did not recognize so-called independent Kosovo, therefore it is about a rather different kind of agreement the EU has with so-called Kosovo when it comes to the EU integration. We have shown, we want to help and contribute to the common EU foreign and security policy, but this does not mean an obligation to recognize Kosovo, and Pacolli is obviously aware of it,” Joksimovic told Blic. Serbian Telecommunication Minister, Rasim Ljajic, who wrote an Op-Ed related to the internal dialogue on Kosovo and possible solutions, told Blic that “Pacolli’s idea is knocking on the wrong door.” However, back earlier, Ljajic proposed Serbia should not impede membership of Kosovo to the certain international organizations, if it gets some benefits in return. Serbian Government Office for Kosovo and Metohija, told Blic daily, Serbia will not recognize Kosovo independence. “Of course, Serbia does not have to recognize Kosovo. Neither will it. And the European Union should accept us as we truly are”. Foreign Policy Centre Director Aleksandra Joksimovic sees Pacolli’s statement “as facing reality after many years”. Meanwhile, Pristina-based political analyst, Albinot Maloku told Blic daily, a statement of the Kosovo Foreign Minister goes contrary to the official Pristina policy. “Pacolli mixed up politics and business, and he forgot he is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. His statement goes contrary to the consensus of all Albanian parties in Kosovo and state policy, whose aim is international recognition of Kosovo independence. I do expect from the Kosovo Government to publicly speak about this topic as soon as possible and tell if this is Pacolli’s opinion or official Pristina policy,” Maloku said. Faculty Professor in Pristina, Imer Mushkolaj has expressed a similar stance as that of Maloku. “This statement is not in line with Pristina policy. It is not for the first time that Pacolli states something contrary to the government stance, to which he belongs,” Mushkolaj said.