The opposition rejects calling for unity for dialogue with Serbia: This process cannot be led by the 7th party

Ruling coalition parties in Kosovo, which together with an opposition political party ( The PSD formed the unity team for dialogue with Serbia, is calling on the two largest opposition parties -- the Democratic League of Kosovo, (LDK) and the Vetevendosje movement to become part of the unity group.

This call to political leaders in Kosovo is taking place at the time when the pressure of international authorities has increased amid even US President Donald Trump, whom official Pristina must unanimously work on reaching a legally binding agreement with Serbia.

But the two largest opposition parties -- the LDK and Vetevendosje -- continue to maintain the position that early elections should be organised in Kosovo, and then, according to them, the newly elected “s with full legitimacy can enter into dialogue with Serbia”.

That way these two opposition parties rejected the assembly speaker's invitation to meet at a roundtable and to co-ordinate for the dialogue process with Serbia. The president, Hashim Thaci, Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, the negotiating team that was mandated by the assembly, and representatives of the parliamentary groups have been invited to this joint meeting.

The chief of the Democratic League of Kosovo Parliamentary Group, Avdullah Hoti, says the ruling coalition does not represent the majority of Kosovo citizens, despite their joining the Kosovo Social Democratic Party team, the breakaway arm from the Vetevendosje movement and civil society.

The dialogue team has received only 59 votes that do not make up the simple majority in the Kosovo Assembly. In spite of that, to have it clear that dialogue cannot be led either by the seventh party in the Kosovo Assembly or by those with foreign mandates in the Kosovo Assembly”, says Avdullah Hoti, adding that the “process of dialogue with Serbia cannot be guided by platform or law exceeding the Kosovo Constitution<3>.

The resolution adopted a week ago in the Kosovo Parliament envisions a law issued for the final phase of dialogue with Serbia, but this is unacceptable to the LDK, because according to Avdullah Hoti, Kosovo has its own constitution. “We are not entering the dialogue process to restore the state of Kosovo, that should be clear. The dialogue team is the legitimate government with the key role of opposition and civil society”.

Even the other opposition party, Vetevendosje (VV), has flatly rejected the invitation for the round table invited by the chairman of the Kadri Veseli Assembly, saying the whole goal is to legitimise the leading role in the dialogue of President Hashim Thaci, which for Vetevendosje is unacceptable. We have never even gone to such tables in the past, much less now, when the circumstances created in the country tend to legitimise Hashim Thaci in the dialogue process. The resolution and the team that were voted by less than most of the assembly's deputies -- so only 59 votes -- for us is invalid and unacceptable”, says VV deputy Albulen Haxhiu.

Political analysts, for their part, on the international level, say dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia mediated by the EU, brought no results now of seven years and, as a result, scepticism for a final solution has waned even in the EU.

Blerim Burjani political analyst told DW, that even “in the EU ranks, the tendency against the integration of the Western Balkans is not falling, but, only is it growing”.

The politicians of the Western Balkans have long understood this and are pursuing their national interest agendas. These concern preserving the personal power of wealthy Balkan leaders and with national interests in the economy, and other wealth issues of politicians and security issues. The EU is no longer on track for these states”, says Blerim Burjani.

According to him, the <x0) states of the Balkan region seem not to have as a priority bilateral co-operation in the region, but to realise particular state interests, even imposing certain restrictions, such as the 100 per cent customs tariff on Serbian goods and the establishment of the Kosovo Army”.

The European dream of joining the six countries of the Western Balkans in a common economic zone, thus avoiding citizenship conflicts, for now seems to have failed completely, and once it cannot be spoken of. The situation has been completely out of place and European control”, says Blerim Burjani after DW.

However, the Kosovo dialogue Serbia for the time being remains blocked and does not appear to have been reduced to a close phase, despite the international community's calls to continue with this process. Official Pristina is trying to be unique to a negotiating group, while on the other hand, Serbia's authorities do not want to continue the dialogue, without removing the customs fee for Serbian goods entering Kosovo -- the fee set by the government in Pristina. Political analyst Blerim Burjani says that “after years and decades of repeated diplomatic efforts, especially on the part of the EU, have been achieved very little in terms of the collapse of Kosovo- Serbia is not known what direction the situation is taking in the Balkans”.

“This could simply be the scenario of the US and Russia, as they are slowly declaring the EU disabled in the final resolution of the Kosovo-Serbia created situation, but also overall in the Balkans”.