Opposition against platform making Thaci chief negotiator

Opposition parties in Kosovo reiterated their opposition to the road the institutions are following to lead the upcoming talks with Serbia, for a final agreement on normalising relations between the two countries.

The Kosovo government approved in April a platform for talks with Serbia in which the governing role is entrusted to the president of Kosovo. The platform is expected to be debated in parliament.

The Democratic League of Kosovo said on Monday it would not support the government's platform, naming it unrealistic, weak and with no constitutional claims.

Vjosa Osmani from the Democratic League told Voice of America that her party remains open to building a general consensus for future talks, which according to it are very important. She said the current platform has not clearly defined Kosovo's red lines.

These are not clearly defined on the current platform, and we also have our remarks regarding the format of representation of Kosovo, we have noted that in this draft there is also a tendency to go beyond the constitution and this format as it is we will not accept and we will not vote”, said Mrs. Osmani.

While, the head of the Vetevendosje Movement parliamentary group, Glauk Konjufca, said that a common consensus exists so far to refute, as the institutions' claims on the way to develop future talks.

Until now the opposition, but perhaps the Initiative (in government) is determined not to lead these talks so I don't think that even the simple majority of majority exists that is a turnover to make numbers for this resolution in the Kosovo Parliament”, Conjufca said.

Opposition parties sharply criticised President Hashim Thaci following warnings of new compromises with Serbia to reach a final agreement. They say President Thaci should not lead the talks, since he according to them faces a bad legacy from this process.

Kosovo is not ready, it may (President Thaci) personally be ready for painful compromises, but that does not mean that Kosovo and the parliamentary majority are ready for such compromises. The first issue that should happen is that the president must inform citizens, but the parliament regarding the current meetings he has made with Serbia's president within a year, which have been the topics of those discussions, which has been the position the president has held on behalf of Kosovo, if he has only presented so with regard to the topics that have been tabled”, Osmani said.

The “is harmful to Hashim Thaci's discurs for compromise with Serbia that is probably implying some territorial autonomy to grant Serbia that controls within Kosovo. All of this will be rejected not only by the opposition, but by citizens as well as by the need, even with major protests and demonstrations”, Konjufca said.

Kosovo and Serbia are expected to resume talks this month, in a bid to pave the way for reaching a binding legal agreement for normalising relations between them. Authorities in Kosovo have so far warned that reaching the agreement is expected to occur within a nine-month period.

Despite the party's objections to the way the talks are led, President Thaci will be able to hold future meetings, possibly within this month.

But the most controversial question is what compromises should be made by both countries so that this process can be completed.