Dialogue in 2020: VV and PDK see it failed, LDK with big hits

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is considered failed during 2020. Although it was promoted that it could be a year of the final agreement, this was not achieved, why an agreement was signed between the two countries in Washington. Some of the political parties say Kosovo missed the historic opportunity to achieve mutual recognition during the past year, while the LDK as the ruling party estimates the dialogue has taken a major boost in 2020. And from civil society, even the future of dialogue is viewed as unclear, following new elections expected to be held early 2021.

In Vetevendosje Movement, say the dialogue the government Hoti developed did not bring any good to the country.

The member of the leadership of this party, Victory Pacolli, tells Kosovo that dialogue on the recognition of Kosovo by Serbia has failed. It is also pessimistic about the implementation of Washington's agreement.

“Dialog failed long ago, most of the agreements made in the first phase have failed. The majority on Serbia's part have not been implemented, some on the Kosovo side have been implemented. So nothing has changed in the field, we consider that dialogue regarding recognition of Kosovo from Serbia has failed, this dialogue does not lead Kosovo towards recognition and EU membership. This dialogue has sunk Kosovo further, so it should stop as soon as possible because we need another political class, a government with the legitimates which takes the country away. [... "With this agreement which was signed in Washington, we do not expect anything, we expect a new start with US President”, Pacolli says.

More critical of the dialogue are expressed in the PDK, where leadership member Blerta Deliu says the country has lost its historic chance for final agreement during 2020.

“As the PDK, we consider we have missed the historic opportunity for final agreements in 2020. It's the deal that has been highly promoted and discussed at all levels. So we're also saying that now that we think we're late in this direction, it should be 2021 when we end this long marathon of dialogue discussions that has taken too much time and energy to Kosovo and it takes once and for all to secure the obligatory final agreement for both sides and mutual recognition that is both our main condition, then even seating at UN”, she says.

But in the LDK, which is in power, they say the dialogue process has had great impetus last year, even though the final agreement has not been reached.

LDK General Council member at the same time deputy last legislature in the Assembly Faton Bislimi says Washington's own agreement is historic.

The dialogue process has had great impetus, especially last year. Washington's deal is a historic deal, I'm not saying they're not being implemented at any point. You know that there have immediately been at least two high state delegations represented by many US federal agencies that have been in Kosovo and Serbia. They are making the necessary preparations for starting implementation of the agreement for economic normalisation. Kosovo benefits from Washington's deal, despite any criticism it may become the text of the agreement. The conclusion of the agreement and the fact that we have managed to sit in the White House with Serbia has been historic for Kosovo in terms of the benefits Kosovo has received from this” agreement, he says.

The MP, who heads with the Foreign Affairs Commission, Time Kadrijaj, from the AAK, says that with Washington's agreement, Kosovo benefited.

At least what has been achieved in Washington are those economic agreements, which if Kosovo is implemented benefits. But we don't have any agreements that have been reached in the European Union”, she says.

While from civil society, the only positive thing in 2020 regarding dialogue sees the return of the parties to the table of discussion.

Arber Fetah from the Group for Jury and Political Studies says that under dialogue this year was of discussions, not of a tangible result.

We didn't see anything more branding and larger than this dialogue unless both sides were restored to the discussion table. Many topics were opened, and many areas were discussed, including technical topics of the agreements already reached. This year was more years of discussion, but without a tangible result. Washington's agreement was also promoted as such, but the conclusions from that agreement were almost minimal, compared to Kosovo's expectations. Reconfirming that the end of the dialogue is unclear, its future is unclear”, he says.

Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, following a nearly 2-year pause, resumed in July this year, following the departure of reciprocity measures and a 100 per cent tax on Serbian goods. During the past year, there were two physical meetings between Prime Minister Hoti and Serbian President Vuciq in Brussels, one in Washington and a virtual meeting at the Paris summit. While six meetings were held at the expert level.

Besides Washington's agreement, which was said to be more economical, but which did not lack political issues either, mutual recognition was not reached. While there are about four months since Vuciq's Hoti and Vocik have not met following differences in establishing the Association of Serb municipalities in Kosovo.