Haradinaj: We waited for the Serbian delegation all day in Brussels, they didn't come

Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj has announced that Kosovo's delegation for talks in Brussels, led by Avni Arifi, has held a meeting in Brussels more than three hours with EU officials.

In his Facebook report, Haradinaj details how the day came about when Belgrade withdrew from the previous meeting in Brussels, due to Ivanovic's murder in northern Mitrovica.

“Under the dedication and commitment of the Government of the Republic of Kosovo for participation in the dialogue process in Brussels and for greater transparency in relation to the country's citizens for the process in question, it is announced that Kosovo delegation led by Avni Arifi, and in the composition of the Kosovo Prime Minister Alban Dermaku's political adviser, Prime Minister Ardian Arifaj, political adviser to President and Blerand Stavileci, chief of staff of the Prime Minister for Kosovo and Ambassador Bernarda, have only held a meeting of the three hours older European officials involved. Thomas Busch, Descu for Kosovo in the Western Balkans Division / High Council for Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue at the EU Foreign Service, Mr. Kilian Yehl, Political Adviser for the Implementation of Dialogue by the EU Office in Kosovo, as well as Anna Maria Eleni, leader of the Workers Group for the Western Balkan Region (COËEB)”, writes Haradinaj.

“In this meeting has been discussed in the form, modalities, the technical structure of dialogue in the past and future, as well as the handling of the current status of agreements reached”, he says.

He has announced that although the Kosovo delegation has been awaiting Serbia's delegation all day, they have finally announced they will not go to Brussels.

The “Talks with the Serbian side, which were set to be held on the 16th 17th and January 18th, according to the European Union's co-ordinated agenda, would have to address the topics and level of implementation of the agreements reached during the dialogue process, including freedom of movement, regional co-operation, integrated border management, the association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo, the rehabilitation of the bridge in Mitrovica, Justice and Energy. These meetings were not held after the announcement and request of EU representatives, with the reasoning that the Serb side after the event in northern Mitrovica, has withdrawn from the dialogue table and has returned to Belgrade. The Kosovo delegation, with the suggestion of EU representatives, has been awaiting all day Tuesday, January 16th, until the afternoon for the official confirmation from the EU side of the possibility of continuing the dialogue warned, but eventually the Serbian side has confirmed that it will not return to dialogue”, he said.

Kosovo's “delegation has returned to Pristina on Wednesday, January 17th 2018. The government of the Republic of Kosovo and representatives of the Kosovo delegation have shown and witnessed their commitment to developing dialogue on the topics for which he is called. The dialogue is alternate and, as such, should contribute to improving the lives of citizens on both sides of the border, in completing the process of normalising relations between the two countries, and with the quick conclusion of this process, which must result in comprehensive agreement, leading to recognition between the two countries”, Haradinaj reports. /Periscopi/