Future Government to Have Unity in Dialogue

Two of the topics the new government will face is the resumption of dialogue with Serbia, as well as the possibility of negotiating the tax on Serbian goods.

Life Krasniqi, from the Kosovo Democratic Institute, says that while we are ahead of a process of restarting dialogue, the tax issue should be negotiated for the sake of the merger of this process.

She says that in an interview for Online Economy, the future government should focus on establishing a unique state position and building a better political consensus.

“Whoever is in the government, the question of dialogue should have a matter on the table and which should be discussed, the tax will be among the issues which will certainly have to be addressed by the next government, we have seen by political subjects and coalitions that they have unveiled their versions or their platforms on how to deal with the tax issue, whether it remains in power until recognition or that there is reciprocity, but it is an issue that we will see the next government deal with <1x>

We're ahead of a process where we want to complete the Kosovo-Kosovo dialogue process- Serbia and we need to see how to negotiate the tax issue, always seeing the interest of the state of Kosovo and what goes to benefits, as a state and as a society. We should not have an acceleration in that direction so that only we have an agreement will however, but the purpose of all this engagement of future society where the dialogue process should be led by the prime minister or the country's prime minister, should be to focus on the appointment of the unique position of the state of Kosovo, a real strategy and the construction of a broader political contractor, regardless of who is in the government, they must support this process. The future government should create a unique state stance, which we have not seen so far”, Krasniqi said.

Krasniqi says another appropriate position for Kosovo would be unity of the Kosovar side, according to her table with Serbia should be taken in a voice because, contrary to that, we will be a weak partner for Serbia.

“If we as a state go, if representatives of our state go with different positions, it directly harms the state of Kosovo, as the process of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue also has to do with diplomacy, it has to do with battle. When we have seen President Thaci go with the issue of redressing borders, while the prime minister in his resignation has rejected this idea, it seems to create the perception that we are dealing with two representatives of two different states, not of the same state, and that it harms Kosovo's own position, as you are lobbiing on two different issues and you are weaker at your partner, that should not happen because a serious state is one that speaks in a voice of only<x1.

Krasniqi expresses optimism that Kosovo will wrap up all open processes with Serbia.

Kosovo's “Government has not set the tax as a tool against Kosovo- Serbia and this has been more than clear since the state of Kosovo has consistently expressed its readiness to go and have talks with Serbia, at any moment there has been no condition on the part of Kosovo, they have come from Serbia, until Serbia is in a normalisation process with Kosovo, then its behaviour is expected to be more constructive, you cannot have a normalisation process with Kosovo and at the same time have anti-state Kosovo campaigns, in the future expect from all acts to change their approach. It can't be Kosovo, which always makes compromises while Serbia always is the one who behaves constructively or does not have the proper approach for normalism of relations”.

Kosovo has clearly expressed that it is for the process of dialogue, this process sends us right to our European path, we must be committed to this journey. I appreciate that Kosovo will close everything it has with Serbia still open under the issues we consider open, as long as it is hindering Serbia we have to move forward and see how to complete this process. Two years we've taken with us who should lead the dialogue and go into the world with different themes, now it's time to show real seriousness as state”.

For international relations professor Ibrahim Gashi, the continuation of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, you cannot afford the latter to sit at the table with the Kosovar side and lobbie against Kosovo.

The continuing dialogue prevents Serbia from sitting down in dialogue and even working against Kosovo. The pressure of the international community will be on the new government to even suspend the tax, just to get the parties back on the table, I'm not very optimistic that we will have the final agreement soon, or the Serbian side will move towards the normisation and recognition of Kosovo”, Gashi said.

Gashi says Kosovo should be careful what demand it intends to lower before Serbia, as, according to him, even after the tax, pressure on Kosovo from the international community has increased greatly and that the future government will face a new and huge challenge to this process.

“We have almost two years since the process has been interrupted because of a move Kosovo has imposed, which has to do with the possibility of exports of Serbian goods to Kosovo, and this move has not been done with stumbling the dialogue, but to counter an aggressive campaign of Serbian diplomacy to undermine Kosovo's independence process in the international plan to the extent of the state's conviction of attracting recognition, I think that move has even been insufficient, it has had to be taken a step further and, after a measure of reciprocity for all issues, that Serbia has begun to bring to each independent state as if it were to any one of the country.<6).

Serbia has used the tax setting as a pretext to interrupt dialogue, but not because the tax has been such a measure, Serbia has been interested in prolonging the dialogue, because it has days since the end of the day it will face an agreement at the table that has to sign. Serbia is finding reason not to sit down with Kosovo. The pressure of the international community has risen greatly on Kosovo and less on Serbia for continuing dialogue. The government, due out of the 6 October elections, will have written international pressure to find a solution for continuing dialogue”.

Gashi says the Kosovo side should show interest in continuing the dialogue, as in his opinion the current state position is not in our favour.

“I believe that the international community has been impartial and fair with both sides, has also used pressure and temptation for both sides to move a fair agreement, this international pressure will be even greater when dialogue is resumed. The Kosovo side should show interest in continuing the dialogue because we are not subject to this position, for the fact that we are conglomerate in a poor position, there is no movement towards liberalisation, there is no investment”.

Whatever it is in government, I believe it will quickly make the start date. The issue we dialogue with Serbia is sensitive and important and I think there is a great need for an internal and interparty consensus and I think that in the future parliament's role in this negotiation process should increase. The internal consensus for the content of the dialogue, it's very important and we don't dare to continue as yet to have different positions, there must be an inclusion in the phases of the” dialogue.