Crusoe: America now makes it clear that mutual recognition, Kurti don't lose the moment.

Kosovo's “European road leads through comprehensive normalisation of relations with Serbia. We expect the new authorities to be constructively engaged in continuing the EU-brokered dialogue and to seize the opportunity offered for a comprehensive agreement”, EU foreign policy chief and chief negotiator Josep Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhely said.

Officially, the EU says it will expect the formation of a new parliament and government in Kosovo, in order to launch serious talks on continuing dialogue, which Kurti does not see as his priority. Unofficially, it is estimated that Albin Kurti, as Kosovo's potential prime minister, should have clear what his mandate and the process of dialogue for the future of Kosovo, respectively, should mean for citizens who believed in the vote.

Kosovo's European perspective and a fast “possible EU accession path, with the fulfillment of reforms, is possible only through “tuel of dialogue”. This tunnel now looks dark and full of problems. But at the end of the tunnel, light is seen in the normalization of relationships. “in contrast to political leader Albin Kurti, as statesman, he must accept reality and the art of compromise, in order to enable citizens who voted for him what they want and this is the European future”, diplomatic sources in Brussels say.

There is room for pragmatism

That Kosovo's future in the EU will not be possible without co-operation and without an agreement with Belgrade, the European Parliament's rapporteur for Kosovo, Violet von Cremon, also stressed. In a statement to Deutsche Welle, she praised that it is important for the new government in Kosovo to continue work that began last year under the mandate of special EU representative Miroslav Lajcak.

I personally cannot imagine that Kosovo's citizens would like to return to the beginning or remain somewhere in a corner without any European integration perspective. The new government must work for reforms and the fight against corruption, as well as the development of an ambitious pro-European agenda. Mr. Kurt must use the strong majority he won in the election. Such great support at home is a precondition for a successful dialogue, but not enough in itself “, says von Cromon.

Those who know Albin Kurti closely say that compromise and pragmatism are not its strongest sides. Therefore, it has not been Brussels' “selection, nor Washington's” to continue the process of normalising relations with Belgrade. Kurti will remain loyal to himself and will not go to Brussels to think for hours and hours. It will be harder to control it from Washington, Berlin or Brussels”, says Berlin Council for Democratic Policy analyst Toby Vogel.

He says such a behavior of Kurti “can make dialogue more difficult”. But he also questions whether there is any party in the process going to satisfy Brussels or Washington, and what support such a delegation would have at home. Whatever solution is found, it must have democratic legitimacy at home in Serbia or Kosovo. “I think Kurti will be pragmatic and will work for specific compromises in order to achieve what Kosovo wants, and that is recognition from Serbia and the five EU countries that still do not recognise Kosovo's independence”, Vogel says.

Crusoe: Kurt should not miss the moment

Besides changing to Kosovo's top, the context of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is essentially changing even with the arrival of a new administration in Washington. DW conversationators believe the change is in favour of the best management of dialogue, but also in favour of Albin Kurti.

What we have now is a new moment, now we have common interests on both sides of the Atlantic and I think this is an opportunity that Mr. Kurt should not lose it,” says Violet von Cromon for DW.

The first government led by Albin Kurti, early 2020, was put under strong pressure from the US administration, led by President Trump. After less than two months of mandate, the government was toppled by a no-confidence vote in parliament, which was backed by the US, unlike some EU countries. Kurti himself cited as the trigger for his dismissal the idea of exchanging territories between Serbia and Kosovo, which he flatly rejected.

“Today Washington makes it clear that the goal of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is mutual recognition. This isn't any innovation, but it's now clear. This clarity is as useful for dialogue as the Benden administration itself. There will be no more Richard Green's games”, Vogel believes.

The EU, as the main mediator in the dialogue -- at least officially -- declares that any agreed solution between Belgrade and Pristina, which is in line with international law and European principles -- is acceptable to it. EU representative Miroslav Lajcak is even more specific. He has dismissed the possibility of exchanging territories as a possible solution to normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia. More concrete, as usual, are partners from the United States. New President Joseph Biden, in his congratulations on the Statehood Day case, said that resolving the process between Serbia and Kosovo is seen in mutual recognition, which is the position Albin Kurti agrees with. Meanwhile, the EU is working to extend Lajcak's mandate as mediator. He has warned the continuation of “the zigzag” path, until an agreement is reached on normalising relations between Serbia and Kosovo, this time with a new player at the negotiating table in Brussels.