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Kurti: Accommission on ethnic grounds conflicts with the Constitution

Prime Minister Kurti has once again reiterated his stand for Association, saying he does not accept one on ethnic grounds.

The Franco-German proposal, which is essentially Brussels' proposal, highly supported by Berlin and Paris, but also from Washington, is a good basis for continuing discussions on the final agreement, which means complete normalisation between relations between Kosovo and Serbia, with mutual recognition at the centre. There will be other details of this agreement, but mutual recognition must be the main one. In this proposal, discussions about minority rights are also predicted, and at this point Belgrade can express its application for the topic they call the Association of Serb Major communities, which is a form of addressing the issue of the Serb minority. ”

On the other hand, Kosovo has a very democratic constitution and progress. The third chapter, by Article 57-62, envisions a wide range of rights for minorities in Kosovo, because we do not have only one minority. Kosovo Albanians make up 92% of the population, and about 8% consists of minorities. The Serb minority, but also the Bosnian, Roma, Egyptian, Ashkali and Gorani. So we have many minorities and mandates in parliament for these minorities. In all, there are 11 municipalities in majority from these minorities, according to Martti Ahtisaari's proposal. There is an opportunity for intercommunal co-operation, but not for ethnic-based association. I don't oppose the Association of Municipals. Currently, Kosovo has an association of municipalities, 38 in total. But I cannot accept association on the basis of ethnic identity. Politics on ethnic bases is not possible. So we can create an entity-based association, because this is contrary to our Constitution. That fact is also confirmed by a Constitutional Court decision in December 2016”, Kosovo's prime minister said.

What did EU High Representative Josep Borrell say today about Association?

High Representative Josep Borrell has met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti on Friday, and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, at the Magyar-divided meetings of the Peace Forum in Paris.

According to an announcement by the EU media office, it becomes known Borell has requested the return of Kosovo Serbs immediately to state institutions.

Kosovo's “Serbs must return immediately to Kosovo institutions and resume their duties, and Kosovo should harmonise its actions on the license plate with past dialogue agreements and start negotiations on establishing the Association/Unitation of Serb-run municipalities without further delays. These obligations, taken within the dialogue, remain valid and mandatory”, the announcement said.

Borell said that the current geopolitical environment makes it even more necessary to overcome past heritages and engage in meaningful negotiations on what really matters to Kosovo, Serbia, their people and the entire region of dealt with relations between the two sides as a key factor to moving forward on their European path”.

The same request as Borrell is supporting the US envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar.

Escobar: We will insist on association

US envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar yesterday reiterated America's demand for the formation of association, stressing that this is also the call of QUINT countries.

“We have been very clear and open what we expect from both sides. From the Kosovo side, we have called for a one-year period of implementation to conduct a public announcement campaign and prepare the affected community to be willing to change car plates. We are also calling on them to begin putting the issue of the Association of Serb majority municipalities in order day. This is a request. From our point of view and that of Quinn's partners, that's a request and we'll insist. On the Serbian side, we think that any protest should be peaceful and the departure of Serbs from institutions is not useful. I call on the parties to be ready to meet these issues immediately”, he said.

“We have also been very clear with the Serbian side that we agree that the issue of the Association of Serb majority municipalities should be on the agenda. I have spoken with a wide range of voices within Kosovo that support this and are willing to help Kosovo fulfil international obligations on this issue”, Escobar said.

What did Kurt say about Association in the past?

It has now been added to international pressures to establish the Association of Serbian municipalities, but Kurti long ago considered that demand dead.

The association of Serb majority municipalities has practically died. The Constitutional Court ruling in 2015 has said that none of the 7 chapters are in accordance with the constitutional... there is, in turn, no association. But it is not the request of Kosovo Serbs, no Serb protested after the Constitutional Court's decision”, Kurti said three years ago.

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What is the Association of Serb majority municipalities?

The agreement on forming an association that would unite ten municipalities inhabited by Serbs in Kosovo is described as one of the most problematic agreements in the dialogue on normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Signed with the European Union's mediation in 2013, the agreement has never been implemented.

The agreement was negotiated by former Kosovo Prime Minister Hashim Thaci and former Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic.

The association was expected to gather ten municipalities in Kosovo, where the majority of the population are Serbs: Northern Mitrovica, Klokot, Partesh, Ranilug, Gracanica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, Novoberda, Leposaviq and Shrpca.

In 2015, Kosovo's Constitutional Court had said the agreement on association conflicts with the Kosovo Constitution at 23 points.

Now, it's being reported that association is part of the Franco-German proposal./Iliriana Jylan-Periscopi/