Kosovo's final effects of dialogue, Serbia

The dialogue on normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which in 2011 had started as a dialogue to regulate technical issues, to continue later as political dialogue, has not produced the expected results in dialogue and neither from the European Union, as a facilitator of this process, assessing the recognition of political issues in the country.

Political Affairs Analyst Agon Maliqi -- speaking of Radio Free Europe -- estimates Kosovo- Serbia had started conditional on the European perspective for both countries and that the European Union was in a favourable position condition for both sides.

The “at its beginnings, but late enough, dialogue has had a positive effect on normalising relations within Kosovo, either in breaking ethnic tensions with the north, as well as in integrating Serbia's parallel structures into Kosovo institutions. However, the technical element has had its limit, because the end, all problems -- even some of them technical -- between Kosovo and Serbia have a deep political dimension. Now we have reached a point where it requires that they be resolved. Since the problem is political, many of the technical agreements are held hostage by one and the other, in some form, as negotiating tactics”, Maliqi stressed.

Serbia's tactics with dialogue

But, Milazim Krasniqi, chief of the Journalism Department at the University of Pristina, tells Radio Free Europe that in the process of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, there has been an open game from all the acters from the start.

“in one respect can be said to have broken several psychological barriers, separately in the Brussels Agreement. But, on the other hand, the Brussels Agreement, Serbia has only used it to improve its image and at the same time has maintained the course of pressure and attempts at destabilising Kosovo, as well as not allowing its incriminating into international organisations. So, there was a double game and there was no sincerity and the will to be followed by consistent realization of these agreements, which would further disable the report”, Krasniqi stressed.

Similar sentiments are shared by political affairs analyst Imer Mushkolaj. He tells Radio Free Europe that Kosovo has shown a lot of will for normalising relations with Serbia, but that the latter has tacticalised towards the opposite goal. For more, according to him, neither the European Union as a facilitator of dialogue has reacted in the right moments.

<x) This, unfortunately it didn't happen. Reports in some areas have deteriorated even more than they have previously been. There are some minor advances in certain areas. But still we cannot talk about normalisation, given that Serbia, rather than engage and invest in this normalisation, has actually done otherwise. It has invested and committed itself to sabotage and constantly undermine Kosovo's being as an independent state”, Mushkolaj stressed.

Before the final phase of the process

However, analyst Maliqi expresses the opinion that dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is in some form continuing in real terms. According to him, all that has happened in recent months is the continuation of dialogue, but, as he says, by other means, where the parties are trying to strengthen their positions on the ground, as the starting point of the final phase of dialogue.

So, Kosovo, with the support of key allies, primarily of the US, is consolidating citizenship from within. Whether by forming the Army or by treating Serbia mutually in the economy, but closing it, it is corroborating sovereignty from within. While Serbia is trying to strengthen its negotiating position, holding it hostage on Kosovo's citizenship in the international arena. Although these may appear to be ʹ but are in some form a situation of tension, conflict, these are harsh forms of negotiation prior to this recent phase of”, Maliqi stressed.

However, Professor Krasniqi estimates that at the end of 2018, it can be considered that reports between Kosovo and Serbia are worse than five years ago and that the dialogue process is expected to evolve.

This has happened for a reason, because dialogue has developed on partial, specific issues, such as the issue of car signs or things of this nature, but not for the actual normalisation of reports. So the issue, in the final dialogue, is said to be changing, seeking a comprehensive and non-partial agreement. I believe that in the period we enter, there will be focus, namely, on reaching a comprehensive agreement, because specific agreements cannot resolve the huge conflict that exists between the two countries”, Krasniqi stressed.

However, the Kosovo Assembly has managed to establish a negotiating team, consisting of representatives of the ruling political parties, as well as the opposition subject Social Democrat Party. The two largest opposition parties -- the Democratic League of Kosovo and the Vetevendosje Movement -- have refused to be part of this team.

The negotiating team, together with Kosovo President Hashim Thaci, is expected to go to a meeting in Brussels on January 8th of 2019. /Cashho. com