EU with major impasses in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, very difficult recovery

According to them, the United States has already taken actions warning its possible involvement in the resumption of dialogue and mediation for reaching a comprehensive agreement that would resolve the Kosovo-Serbia conflict.

On January 23rd, President Donald Trump's special envoy for dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade, Ambassador Richard Green, has visited Kosovo and ordered Kosovo's political and institutional leadership to lift the 100 per cent tax on Serbia's goods, while Serbia will stop the Kosovo state-recognition campaign.

In a short time, Ambassador Green has managed to mediate in the signing of the agreement between Kosovo authorities and Serbia for the deployment of the Pristina-Belgrade airline, and has reached reconciliation in principle between the parties for the restoration of the railway line between Pristina and Belgrade.

On January 30th, Kosovo has been visited, the European Union for Foreign Policy and Security High Representative Josep Borrell, who has said the European Union is not in the race with the United States in terms of facilitating dialogue for normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

But, Borrell, on 31 January, in Belgrade, has said that the European Union must appoint a special representative who will be very committed to “, because he himself is not sure there will be a “long enough time to engage and push the dialogue before”.

Recognitions of political developments estimate that the fainting of the European Union's role as a facilitator of Kosovo dialogue Serbia has occurred because of major mistakes and noshalance for years, to mediate the realisation of agreements that have been reached in Brussels.

Also, as they say, the major differences existing within the European Union countries for the way the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue ends, have already blocked it from having the parties' confidence in reaching a concrete solution acceptable to the parties.

Political affairs analyst Artan Muhhaxhiri tells Radio Free Europe that Borrell is already facing the situation to compensate for his predecessor's concessions, Federica Moghrini. But he does believe that there are signals that there is neither will nor plan for such a thing nor any concrete plan.

The “given another problem, which it comes from Spain and in an indirect way will have some kind of pressure from his government. Hence, much of Borrell cannot be expected. There may be only depletion and bureaucratic declarations for the necessity of continuing dialogue, but it is completely incredible that it comes with any motivation, with any concrete plan, which could be moved by the impasse dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia”, Muhramir says.

Politologist Ramush Tahiri, speaking of Radio Free Europe, estimates that not only European Union practices in facilitating Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, but also its integration policies, which have questioned its sincerity about enlargement towards the Western Balkans, have caused a loss of confidence in its efficiency.

“actually ( The EU has lost the trust of Balkan peoples in Euro-Atlantic integrations. Time does not wait until the EU builds a new Franco-German strategy for the Balkans in Europe or until it makes a new opening of integration. On this basis, I consider it perfectly right not to be expected, but to be mediated. Intermediation credit is in the United States, and it's good that they're talking”, Tahiri estimates.

Capital investment and economic assistance for Kosovo and Serbia, if they reach an agreement on normalising relations between them, is the promise which the United States of America has made through Ambassador Green.

Analyst Artan Mujaziri estimates that it is meaningless that major economic developments occur without major political developments. According to him, the political situation in the region must first be clarified so that major investments can come.

But, as he says, in the opinion in Kosovo and Serbia, the American promise of economic development is highly echoed. Thus, not directly a kind of pressure is aimed at politicians in Kosovo and Serbia, so that they can be more constructive in the final stage of dialogue.

The “is a bait, because it is a kind of modern version of the Marishall”, so now with specificity for Kosovo and Serbia, because it is considered that political promises can remain irreplaceable unless there is any more concrete basis. In the case of Kosovo and Serbia, the most concrete basis may be the promise of economic development. There is another element, that both the citizens of Kosovo and the citizens of Serbia, I believe, trust the public promises of Americans for assistance”, estimates Muhramir.

Politologist Ramush Tahiri expresses opinion that the best option would be that in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, For reaching a final agreement that would resolve the dispute between the two countries to mediate both the United States and the European Union.

But, according to him, currently, due to internal developments, the European Union is unable to be a reliable mediator, at least for Kosovo.

Because of rejection from 5 countries (v.j. of the EU, there is no neutral position on the conflict or on the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia. While the United States of America is very clear, and they say Kosovo's independence is the irreversible and indisputable process on the table, in no way. The United States of America wants Kosovo and Serbia to advance. They have the plan of eternalizing these agreements, which will also be helped with the investment of American capital or various companies”, Tahiri points out.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia has started in Brussels since 2011 on technical issues and then continued at the level of high political representation, where more than 30 agreements have been reached. A large part of these agreements have still not been implemented, or have been partially implemented.

On November 21st, 2018, the Kosovo government has imposed a 100 per cent tax on products of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in response to Serbia's aggressive diplomatic campaign to attract Kosovo recognitions, as well as block its membership in international organisations.

Serbia's authorities have refused to continue the dialogue without the removal of this tax, and since then this dialogue has remained blocked.