Peace over topics to be discussed in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, on expert level

This time the meetings are held at the expert level, while after ten days there is also expected to be a high-level meeting with the presence of Kosovo Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq.

During Thursday, meetings will initially be bilateral, among delegations with European Union representatives, and then a trilateral meeting within dialogue.

Even before the launch of this round of dialogue, there has been uncertainty about what will be the main topic in the agenda.

The EU's special envoy for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has ordered that financial claims will be discussed Thursday, while in the coming days, also on issues related to arrangements for the non-US community.

Behind the term “aritions for non-communal communities” lies the issue of the Association/Unitivity of Serb-run municipalities in Kosovo.

The two topics are very complex. That's why we'd discuss financial claims tomorrow and arrangements for the non-US community in the coming days” had written on Twitter yesterday Lajcak on Wednesday.

To that statement, Serbia's delegation chief has reacted to these talks, Marko Djuric, underlining that for Serbia the main topic is implementation of the agreement for the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

The first “Theme on the agenda tomorrow will be the municipality of Serb majority. At least, for the Serbian side”, Djuric wrote, reacting to Lajcak's warnings as well Wednesday.

Even in terms of financial and property claims, the parties have very different positions. Kosovo here aims to include damage to war as Serbia seeks to be the topics dealing with private ownership of Kosovo Serbs and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Kosovo President Hashim Thaci has said on September 16th that the “spread of topics for community rights and for the Association of Serb municipalities in the Brussels dialogue is a major and very dangerous mistake of the Kosovo Government”.

According to him, the discussion on association Thursday is “beginning the installation of Republika Srpska within the Republic of Kosovo”. He adds that the discussion of Kosovo's property with Serbia is contrary to the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo, as well as is violation of sovereignty.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Hoti has said on Wednesday that the Association of Serb majority municipalities will not be discussed in Brussels.

According to him, on Thursday the issue of financial obligations between the two countries -- related to the 90th-year pension issue -- success of the former Yugoslavia's wealth, public debt, war damages, reparation, etc.

Diplomatic sources in the EU have said objections in Kosovo to discussing several topics in the dialogue have made the position of the Kosovo delegation difficult, especially for implementation of the Agreement to establish the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

Kosovo insists that this agreement, even those already to be reached, can only be part of a final agreement, which implies mutual recognition.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, with EU mediation, has resumed on July 16th this year.

This process was suspended in November 2018 due to a tax Kosovo authorities had imposed on Serbian goods.

The latest round of dialogue between leaders of these countries -- Prime Minister Hoti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq, respectively -- has been held on September 7th, three days after the meeting they had the same in Washington.