New proposal for dialogue, transparency, consensus required with opposition parties

Following confirmation by institutional leaders of the existence of the Franco-German initiative for the final phase of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, greater transparency for the process is being sought, as well as consultation with opposition parties and civil society to reach national consensus on the final agreement.

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo MP (AAK), Time Kadrijaj, that a new moment for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue has been created, so it requires Prime Minister Albin Kurti to make any draft proposal public.

It highlights the AAK's position for dialogue, underlining mutual recognition and respect for Kosovo's sovereignty and territorial integrity, but also internal organisation.

What we're looking for from Mr. Kurti is to be transparency in the dialogue process, as we are seeing that this government is more untransparent in terms of the dialogue process. It must now be made public (proposed for new framework dialogue). It is a moment of seeing even these frequent visits by American and European officials to unify attitudes on the issue of dialogue. What we ask to dialogue is for the final agreement that in the middle has mutual recognition, where Kosovo's sovereignty and territorial integrity are respected, but also the internal body”, it says.

On the other hand, dialogue process connoisseur Gazmir Raci said there is an initiative by Germany, France and the US for dialogue. This, according to him, shows the serious approach of this three-way for the final phase.

But it says that in the new proposal, mutual recognition is not being included, but will be conditioned at the moment of Serbia's entry into the European Union.

This proposal, of course, was eventually accepted by the Kosovo side. It's good to have a harmonised proposal between Germany, France and the United States. We have a threesome that seems to be approaching the Brussels dialogue seriously, but we seem to have a problem of Serbia's recognition. Recognition of what has been the condition of the international factor so late... the recognition seems to have been delayed for a later deadline under the German proposal and it seems that the parties, especially the EU mediator, are playing the role of bringing the two sides together... It is now known that Serbia is not ready to recognise Kosovo, for now, but it is known that Serbia cannot become a member of the European Union without knowing Kosovo, due to the simple fact that the EU is no longer interested in taking states that have problems with their neighbours”, Ric says.

In addition, it requires that the new dialogue proposal be discussed with opposition leaders.

It would be good to discuss this draft in Kosovo with the main opposition leaders in the Kosovo Assembly. At the same time, with a part of civil society monitoring Brussels' dialogue to have a national consensus on any kind of topic that sends towards the final agreement”, Raci adds.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti confirmed the existence of a French-German initiative for the final phase of dialogue, but failed to reveal any possible proposals.

Regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, the EU's special minister for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, remained in Kosovo on Thursday. /kp