Removing reciprocity and equality at Kosovo dialogue table- Serbia

Kosovo's new government, in charge of the LDK's Avdullah Hotin, has decided on the first working days to lift the reciprocity measure against Serbia. This decision, according to Hoti, has been meant to remove obstacles to dialogue. Albin Kurti sees it as unprecedented, while those who follow the process of dialogue say that despite the decision to abolish the reciprocity move, Kosovo should insist on being equal at the table of dialogue.

The decision of March 20th 2020, which Albin Kurti had made while at the helm of the executive, for imposing the reciprocity measure against Serbia, immediately abolished on the third day of his work, elected Avdullah Hoti.

“We have made an important decision today, removing the barriers to dialogue. We expect the same from the Serb side to remove the obstacles, and move on from”, Hoti said.

Unprecedented action is considering Albin Kurti, now in opposition, saying that with its positions, Serbia consistently proves it is a hostile state towards Kosovo.

The “is unprecedented, not only in our history, so that someone can deprive himself of sovereign right for mutual reports with neighbours, and in this case, first and foremost with Serbia, which in its positions proves that it is a hostile state to us”, Kurti said in an answer to Kosova Pris.

Violet Hajoli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute tells Kosovo Press that, in principle, reciprocity has been fair to the state of Kosovo, but became problematic when it conflicts with the dialogue process.

According to her, despite lifting the reciprocity measure, Kosovo should insist that it be an equal party in talks with Serbia.

“Despite the abolition of reciprocity measures, Kosovo must again insist that in the process of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue be equal, to be treated as a state against Serbia, and also the state of Kosovo to go into this continuation of the dialogue process with a clear strategy where I consider that this strategy should have at least two key elements, should be the list of all compromises Kosovo has made so far in terms of showing that Kosovo has made enough compromises towards Serbia, and the second element should be the state of implementation of Kosovo-Serbia agreements that are not implemented by Serbia to show a potential dialogue which Kosovo can not even implement the final agreement, it says.

Political affairs connoisseur Rasim Alija does not believe Kosovo will be treated as an equal party at the dialogue table.

“We have seen that is the citizen perception of removing this measure as the surrender to Serbia, but the obvious pressure of Americans and internationals is to remove this measure, the government Hoti has come to power based on this thing to lift reciprocity measures and, above all, pave the way for dialogue. I can't believe that with the removal of this measure, Kosovo and Serbia will be treated as equal parties at the dialogue table. However, it remains to be seen at what price we have paid for the removal of this measure, and above all, what it will be or what the approach of dialogue and relations with Serbia will look like, which will be the final product between Kosovo and Serbia”, Alija says.

The 100% tax issue and reciprocity against Serbia have been issues that have affected the collapse of the ruling Vetevendosje coalition. - The LDK, where the latter required action to be carried out according to international requirements for removing these measures.