Weber Says Kosovo Should Make Progress on Unity in Dialogue with Serbia

“I don’t know whether it will be this year, and I don’t think it is really important when exactly a (Pristina-Belgrade) deal will be struck, but that we get the right deal, and the we finally, after three and a half years of totally misguided negotiations, that damages the cause and the reputation of the EU and the US in Kosovo, Serbia and beyond, we get to a real reset of negotiations on a truly final, and comprehensive agreement, that means one that guarantees a sustainable solution,” has said Bodo Weber, a Senior Associate at the Democratization Policy Council (DPC).
Focusing on the Western Balkans, in an interview with Gazeta Express, Weber speaks about expectations after resumption of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, now after the US will establish a new administration led by president elect Joe Biden.
Speaking about early election in Kosovo set to be held on 14 February 2021 and the result of these elections on the outcome of the dialogue he expects Kosovo to make progress this year on unity in the negotiations with Serbia. “I hope that after parliamentary elections and finding a majority for voting a new president into office, Kosovo will make progress this year on unity in the negotiations with Serbia, and on starting to fix the political system. A real reset of negotiations based on clear principles and close transatlantic cooperation should help on both issues.” said Weber.
The German politician suggests that the US and the EU get on one side again, send out strong messaging to anable a real reset of negotiations, that those negotiations need to return to Brussels, with Washington.
In a comment on the political situation in Kosovo Weber feared that chaos has only worsened over the last three years, while domestic political, but also the dialogue performance of the leading political actors in Kosovo, particularly in 2020, has unfortunately demonstrated that Kosovo’s political system is deeply broken. /argumentum.al