“Vucic will condition continuing dialogue with implementation of association”

In an interview for Radio Free Europe, Surlic says Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, with his policies, shows that one-ethnic concepts are valid in Kosovo, but only for Albanians.

Surlic does not expect that in the June 15th round, the parties will talk about association.

He says there must be “internal forces” that would force leaders to reach agreement on normalising relations, as according to him, the European Union offers only the staff and not the carrot.

Professor Surliq, Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, will face a new conversationor in Brussels on Tuesday -- Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti. What's the first thing you expect from this meeting?

Stefan Surlic: I expect both sides to show will and will to continue the dialogue, to discuss topics that could come to the table over the next period. There have been many harsh and negative messages from Belgrade and Pristina, so it is also symbolically important to meet and, from the position of leaders, to send more moderate messages and prove they are determined for dialogue.

Kurti has said Kosovo will appear in Brussels as an equal party to Serbia. Serbia's prime minister, Anna Brnabiq, has said Thursday in Tirana that this is impossible, because I quote Serbia is internationally recognised state and Kosovo is not. How do you see this approach? Where can it lead?

Stefan Surlic: Serbia does not give up the position that Kosovo has controversial status and that it cannot be resolved until there is no agreement between Belgrade and Pristina. On the other hand, Kurt is relating dialogue and considers equal parties. I wouldn't agree. If this is really about equal parties, why does dialogue develop? Technical issues, which should be resolved between Serbs and Albanians, are no longer mentioned. The autonomy for Serbs in Kosovo is left entirely.

So the idea of dialogue is to achieve, as mutual recognition is often stated. Considering that Serbia is an internationally accepted state, European and American officials expect an agreement to be reached during the dialogue that would enable Kosovo's unblocking of the international plan and its membership in international institutions and organisations, which is currently not possible without Serbia's reconciliation.

Kosovo, however, is a country accepted by numerous countries...

Stefan Surlic: Yes, [Kosovo] is accepted. But the question is whether Serbia does not recognise Kosovo even five European Union countries do not recognise it, what is in Serbia's favour, then what is Kosovo's prospects for EU and NATO membership? I think this is very important and it shouldn't be relativized.

Albin Kurti now tells the muscles about topics that are really important, first of all, for the citizens of Kosovo. He must openly say that he is in our interest dialogue with Serbia, which will unblock Kosovo towards the European road and NATO membership.

Kurti says this is the beginning of a new negotiation process with Serbia. The European Union says it is continuing dialogue. How do you comment in Serbia?

Stefan Surlic: More comments are made in the light of Kurt's statements. He, at first, said dialogue is not important at all, that it is somewhere the fifth topic. If so, why, as prime minister, does he go to a meeting with the president of Serbia? Perhaps [Kosovo president] Vjosa Osmani could have met Vucinqi. But the fact that he has taken that role indicates that it is important for him to participate and to lead the dialogue.

As for the technical part of the dialogue, whether it is the continuation or the beginning of a new one, for the Kosovo negotiating team and for Albin Kurti is the start of a completely new process. They have no experience. I don't see members on the team who participated in the process earlier. So the meeting in Brussels will be an initial meeting, with which they will be announced. But I suppose the European Union will not change the format.

Vuciq has ordered Kurti that there is no need to go to Brussels if he does not want to talk about the Association of Serb majority municipalities. Kurti says no one-ethnic association can be formed. Can such attitudes be drawn together? If so, how?

Stefan Surlic: I think the argument is in the hands of Serbia and representatives of the international community. Something agreed on in the preliminary phase and has been ratified in the Kosovo Assembly by two-thirds of the vote, how could it not be implemented? I think that this question, first of all, is for the citizens of Kosovo, for the political elite in Kosovo. Will they behave and respect decisions related to association?

Albin Kurti says that it is one-ethnic concept, but with its policy it shows somehow that in Kosovo one-ethnic concepts can pass, but only for Albanians. The Kosovo Constitutional Court's decision on the properties of the Decani Monastery is not respected, the agreement on the Association of Serb majority municipalities does not apply what it means that Kosovo, as a state, respects laws that suit the Albanian majority. If it is something in favour of the Serb community or its desire for autonomy, it is not worth it and will not be implemented.

So, Vucic, although he may not see much benefit from association himself, he views it as a powerful argument, which he will use even in international actors, insisting that there will be no continuing dialogue until what has been agreed on so far, does not apply to the ground.

Do you expect Tuesday in Brussels to talk about Association?

Stefan Surlic: I think it's a little bit likely, because not only Albin Kurti, but all political forces in Kosovo are united in that association is a negative solution for Kosovo society. So at this point, I don't think there will be political readiness for [the verdict] to accept any discussion on this subject. On the other hand, we can expect Vuciq to insist on this very thing and thus have an unsuccessful round of dialogue.

Yes, Vuciq has declared that the upcoming dialogue in Brussels will not be easy. Can you assume what he's all about?

Stefan Surlic: It is a constant pressure from the main countries of the European Union and the United States that want agreements, which would enable Kosovo full international recognition and membership in international organisations and institutions. The rest are peripheral themes. He is aware of these and, in recent weeks, has sometimes said Serbia faces unprecedented pressure.

 Vuciq has also opened the topic of changing borders with preliminary negotiators from Kosovo. Do you expect this topic to open even at Kurti-Wucinq's meeting?

Stefan Surlic: I don't think so. I think it has become clear, first of all, by leading international actors that this option cannot be considered. Kurt has also in some cases said that this cannot be discussed. If there is a desire to exchange territories, the reconciliation of the two sides needs. In this case, I don't think this will be the subject, even though this does not mean that Vuciq has no idea yet of a change of border lines, because the final agreement does not see the significant support of citizens and political acts, if it is only the recognition of Kosovo, without any say territorial fulfillment.

Do you expect a quick deal between Kosovo and Serbia?

Stefan Surlic: I don't. I expect more of an agreement like Washington's, which would present [EU envoy for dialogue Miroslav] Lajcak, based on topics that have been part of the dialogue, which are the missing, crime, private property. These would be found in a draft agreement that Belgrade and Pristina would sign, but this agreement would have no final character, but would be in the continuation of the Brussels and Washington Agreement.

There is still no political readiness in either Belgrade or Pristina to put up with compromise and solve problems that plague both Serbs and Albanians. Something final can be expected at the moment when Serbia and Kosovo are found before full membership and entry into the European Union.

 So how much will the lack of agreement damage their European path?

Stefan Surlic: In Serbia, both politicians and civil society representatives repeatedly say that even if Serbia and Kosovo agree on everything tomorrow, there is no open perspective [for EU membership]. Simply, member states are not in a position for enlargement policy, and Vucinq and Kurti are aware of that. Perhaps Europeans will create a new Berlin Process, perhaps provide considerable financial tools, but we still do not have clear political commitment that these two societies will be part of the EU in the near future.

So if only the stick and not the carrots are offered, then I'm not surprised that the dialogue, which goes on for over a decade, doesn't work. I believe internal and non-national forces should be found, which would force political leaders to reach agreements, which would mean that normalising relations is important for us to live normally and not formally meet a European or international criterion.