TIRANA, November 7 – The European Union’s special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajčák, has completed his two-day visit to Kosovo, which included meetings with representatives of government and opposition parties and accredited ambassadors in Kosovo. The primary topic of discussion was the draft statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, presented to both Pristina and Belgrade at the end of October.
During his visit, Lajčák notably did not meet with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Instead Lajčák met with Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, with whom he publicly stated that they had reached an agreement on the next steps and the full and timely implementation of the agreement for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, reported euronews Albania and RFE on Tuesday. Bislimi emphasized Kosovo’s commitment to full normalization and mutual recognition in its relations with Serbia.
Representatives of the opposition like members of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and the Democratic League of Kosovo expressed a desire for more information about the draft statute and voiced concerns about a lack of transparency.
Memli Krasniqi, the DPK leader indicated that during the meeting, Lajčák reiterated that the draft statute for the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo adhered to the country’s Constitution. However, Krasniqi also mentioned, “Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to see its contents”.
The EU envoy met also with Ramush Haradinaj of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo, who confirmed that he had read the draft statute in its entirety and noted that it outlined the opportunities provided to Serb-majority municipalities while adhering to Kosovo’s Constitution and laws.
After meeting with opposition leaders in Pristina, Lajčák described the day as “very productive” with constructive discussions regarding recent developments in the EU-facilitated dialogue and the path forward.
Prior to these high-level talks, a group of Western envoys, led by Lajčák, visited Pristina and Belgrade on October 21, presenting both Kosovo and Serbia with a draft statute for the Association. However, the specific contents of this statute have not been publicly disclosed as of yet.
Prime Minister Kurti has expressed his readiness to accept and sign the draft statute for the establishment of the Association. In contrast, Serbian President Vučić has been steadfast in his stance that he would not accept any terms implying a de facto recognition of Kosovo. /argumentum.al
