Pressure on Kurt for Association on Earth

But American Ambassador to Pristina Philip Costet says the “history has not started with the Kurti” Government.

Costet made it clear on Wednesday to Prime Minister Kurti that the UN “states believe Kosovo has the obligation to form the Association of Serb majority municipalities”.

The following day, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, after a visit to the village of Krusha the Great, commenting on the statements of Ambassador Costet, said Kosovo cannot have association on ethnic grounds.

According to him, requirements for one-ethnic association are coming, not from ordinary people, but from politicians from the northern neighbour.

I don't think it's possible in Kosovo's legal and constitutional order to have ethnic-based association. There could be an association of municipalities on development basis, on geographical grounds. But ethnic-based association cannot be passed, neither the spirit nor the letter of the Kosovo Constitution. And practically, that's what the Constitutional Court Act, published on December 23rd of 2015”, Kurti told Kosovapress.

On Wednesday, US Ambassador to Pristina Philip Costet said that “we believe countries have the obligation to comply with previously undertaken agreements and obligations”.

I know some people have said that we've made enough compromises, it's up to someone else to compromise. This is not a very productive way to move forward”, Costett told Radio Contact Plus.

Tahiri: Kurt must not execute Association
Former Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri, who was also chief negotiator in talks with Serbia, told Radio Free Europe that in relation to his voters, Kurti dares not implement the Association.

“Kurti and Vetevendosje have been against association. Politically Kurt must object to Association, because he has created the cause from Association and has won votes for the matter”, Tahiri said.

She said it is disturbing to try to bring the process of implementing the Association back to Brussels, since, according to her, it is a violation of the agreement for Association of Serb majority municipalities.

Tahiri said the implementation process does not take place in Brussels, as the Serbian side and the European Union are insisting, because the agreement envisions that drafting the statute of this association be made in Kosovo.

Kosovo has an international obligation to implement the Association, under the Brussels Agreement and what is important, association has no executive competence and should take into account the guidelines the Constitutional Court has given it. So these two documents, the agreement and decision of the Constitutional Court, provide the basis for drafting the Association statute”, Tahiri said.

In 2015, then Prime Minister Isa Mustafa had received a letter from the former EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Federica Moghrini, which said that “The Association of Serb Major Cities, has no executive competence and is not the third level of governance in Kosovo”

The agreement on forming the Association of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo was reached in 2013, within the dialogue on normalising relations.

Two years later, the two countries, under EU mediation, have reached an additional agreement on its establishment.

The Constitutional Court of Kosovo has found that the principles for it are not in line with the Kosovo Constitution.

Emir Abrashi from the organisation Democracy Plus (D+) told Radio Free Europe that Ambassador Costet's statement is a reminder for the state of Kosovo of its obligation to implement the agreement.

I think that association is good to be respected as an agreement, as long as the point signed in the revised agreement in 2015, where it is envisioned that any agreement is first passed to the Constitutional Court”, Abrashi said.

While the Association of Serb majority municipalities has no executive competencies, Abrashi believes it must be implemented, as the state of Kosovo has received this obligation from the agreement signed in Brussels.

The association is also mentioned at Tuesday's meeting held in Brussels, between Kosovo and Serbia. Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, who heads Serbia's delegation in dialogue, insists on forming association.

Even the European Union, as the mediator of the process, has reiterated in some cases that the agreements reached, must be respected.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia on normalising relations has started since 2011. This week, the latest round of talks has been held, between Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti and Serbia's president, Vuciq.

Only the sides' positions and expectations have been expressed at this meeting, while reconciliation has only been achieved for holding the next meeting in July.