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Will Merkel’s departure impact resolution of Kosovo issue? (Blic, Danas, Tanjug)

Departure of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who announced she would not run for the new mandate, would have an impact on everything that happens in Europe, including Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Regional Cooperation Council Secretary General Goran Svilanovic believes, Blic daily reports. However, Svilanovic did not want to speculate on possible consequences that withdrawal of Angela Merkel could have on the influence and role of Germany in resolving the Kosovo issue, given Germany’s role as somebody who was restraining certain enthusiasm that Kosovo issue could be resolved with delineation. Svilanovic noted it is too early to make any assessment in that regard, since it remains unknown who could replace the current Chancellor and what politics Germany would pursue. Meanwhile, President of the Centre for Foreign Policy, Dragan Djukanovic said there would “be absolutely no” revision of Berlin’s stances. “I think more or less all relevant political parties in Germany are having almost identical positions.” Djukanovic said, responding to a question if he believes Merkel’s departure could influence German stance on the final resolution of the Kosovo and Metohija issue. Professor at the Belgrade Faculty of Political Sciences, Slobodan Samardzic also thinks that announced change in Berlin would have no influence or at least not significant one when it comes the Kosovo issue. He noted there is a continuity of German policy towards Serbia since the nineties, based on a stance that Serbia should become a dependent state, as it is the case with all other Balkan states. President of the Belgrade Fund for Political Excellency, Sonja Liht does not believe politics of Germany in relation to Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would change. “Germany is serious, democratic state, with the rather serious Ministry of Foreign Affairs, therefore I do not believe that politics towards Serbia, the region and the entire process of Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would change in the near future,” Liht told Tanjug.