America's insistence on Kosovo, direct pressure on EU

According to him, there was also a visit to Pristina and the White House special envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Richard Green, as well as the chief executive of the US International Finance and Development Corporation (DFC), Adam Boyehler.

He has signed with Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, a joint statement through which they welcome “the quick conclusion of a new Kosovo Investment Promotion Agreement- USA”

Also, representatives of the Kosovo Economic Ode and the American Economic Ode in Kosovo named the US delegation's visit as evidence of US seriousness for concreteising the September 4th agreement.

Maliqi: Concretising Washington Agreement, Pressure Even on EU

Analyst Agon Maliqi tells Radio Free Europe, that in parallel with the message sent to Kosovo and Serbia, which the September 4th agreement will soon concreteize, American delegation visit to Pristina and then to Belgrade, sends messages to skeptics who have seen this agreement only as part of US President Donald Trump's presidential election campaign.

For more, this visit also sends orders to the European Union to disqualify the political part of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process.

“Very often this kind of agreement (September 4th in Washington) was reduced only to that idea of campaign for President Trump. However, concreteizing these economic initiatives cannot be limited to that. It may also be a form of pressure, the drive of the EU to move faster with the political part, and that if it turns on, a Trump-led administration, I hardly believe this current one, but any second event may again take a leading role in the political part. So I'm kind of reading this”, Maliqi said.

US Seriousness in Implementation of Washington Agreement

Berat Rukiqi, chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, speaking of Radio Free Europe, stresses that despite the scepticism that has emerged prominently in Kosovo over the September 4th White House agreement, which has been signed as the unilateral pledge of the parties, it is already seen that President Trump's administration has a seriousness for its implementation.

According to him, unlike the pledges the EU has had in the past, the visit of Ambassador Green and delegation from the US are showing seriousness for the practical realisation of projects linking Kosovo with other countries in the region, as well as the determination to invest in other key sectors for the Kosovo economy.

It's an approach that also implies direct support for small- and medium-sized enterprises or projects that are not only infrastructural nature, but also investment in other important sectors. There are two important things that need to be emphasized. So if these projects are implemented, Kosovo makes it an important focus of international transport. Second, it makes the region more attractive for investment”, Rukiqi stressed.

Arian Zeka, executive director of the American Economic Ode in Kosovo, in a conversation with Radio Free Europe, says that the US delegation's visit to Kosovo and the signing of the joint declaration between the head of the Government of Kosovo and the head of the International Finance and Development Corporation testified to the commitment of US financial institutions to the implementation of provisions of the Washington Agreement, which concern infrastructure projects.

The “also for the development of other projects, which may not have been directly mentioned within the agreement, since the agreement mentions other projects that can be identified on the sides. In this case, there is also diversification of energy sources, since it was mentioned that there may be investments in the extent of the liquid natural gas network. Also interesting is conducting feasibility studies for better identification of the resources use that Kosovo has in place of economic development and job creation”, Zeka stressed.

He added that it is clear that the US is interested in having the agreement on economic normalisation signed in Washington by Kosovo and Serbia implemented in practice. That, according to him, makes the difference from previous cases of other agreements signed by Kosovo and Serbia, whether by EU mediation or other mediators.

Another surprise from Trump administration?

Political analyst Maliqi, expresses the opinion that the US is actually presenting as a contrast to the EU, as a side that keeps its word, that can push things forward and can produce change. He does not rule out even a possible return of the US to the political part of the dialogue process between Kosovo and Serbia.

Now, elections in America are 45 days away. It's not a long, promising time for the United States to start a process or push something else forward. But this is a very strange administration and everything is possible. But, in any case, it's a sign that in a second evental mandate (of Trump) we can see a U.S. that continues an approach of itself to the unilateral region. It means, with a presence not only to co-ordinate with the EU, but in some form competes it”, Maliqi praised.

Ambassador Grenelli, on Sunday before beginning his visit to Pristina, has written on Twitter that “implementation of the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia is the priority of the administration of President Trump”.

During his visit to Pristina, he has voiced confidence that <x0 economic development and job creation will change the political landscape of the region”.

After Pristina, Grenelli and the US delegation have travelled to Belgrade, where the US International Finance and Development Corporation will open its office. Later, the delegation will visit Greece and Israel.