Rashit: Major pressure on Kosovo on European model for north

So stated political analyst Naim Rashiti, where he analyzed the statement of the American emissary Gabriel Escobar, who said that if the government doesn't get involved in the creation of association, it could be founded with “alternative partners”.

The US envoy Escobar, as I have understood, has warned that if the government is not involved, the process will begin in other alternative acts. That means there will be consultations with other acts, but not implementing them. What's clear is that the U.S. has taken exclusive responsibility for pushing ahead the implementation of the Association as the earlier arrangement, so within past agreements”, he said.

Rashit says that at any stage, preparation, consulting or implementation, the US will take the lead. And here, he sees a lot of priorities, because the U.S. will not allow mistakes to be made and it will be worked to make the association under the Constitutional Court's judgment of 2016.

However, this does not mean that under the discussion of the full normalisation agreement, as seen in the already published Franco-German proposal, there will be no more talk about the rights of the Serb community”.

Rashit says that association cannot be done without government decision since the statute he will have requires the approval of the Government.

He even proposes that a working group be established by the Government that would draft its statute along with negotiations with Serbia.

The “E road had been for the Government to press the Ministry for Local Power to start work, create a working group, and along with dialogue for the Franco-German plan, the statute for ESM will be carried out. This would give Kosovo much advantage in the” dialogue.

He says that even in the Franco-German plan, the full implementation of past agreements on both sides, including Association, is clearly established.

I think that the current government, but many acts also view the ESM as part of the final agreement, in this case the Franco-German plan. But, the international factor, the US in particular, see the ESM and its implementation, apart from the dialogue for final agreements. The expectations of the international factor for final arrangements differ from those in Kosovo, whether in content or in the process. So, you can't run the ESM implementation”.

Rashit says there is something not being said about association, but that Kosovo will be pressured by a European model for the north.

“and more security that during the new negotiations there will be pressure on additional arrangements for the north. So, point seven requires arrangement for a self-rule for the Serb community. This is not being said, but European models for northern Kosovo are being sought, how and what form this will take depends on negotiations next year. There will be great pressure on Kosovo, on the government and the entire political spectrum”.

So, says Rashit for Express, the Kosovo government must take the process into its own hands and start preparations for association so that the process of building the agreement does not deviate.

However, with conviction Rashi says the government cannot fall because of the Association and that this is not even in the US's purpose.

The Kurti Government will not fall, nor will the United States nor will anyone attempt to overthrow or replace the government. The dialogue will not bring down this or any government, especially not a government with great parliamentary support. But it will be very damaging for the country and the government if the dialogue does not make progress next year, if the situation in the north remains as it is. This situation will then enable and allow international factors to make further calculations in the upcoming” elections, he says, noting that over the next year there will be great pressure on Kosovo, on Government and the entire political spectrum.

The government will fall only if the government decides. If that happens, the elections will bring a different result, which will lead to a larger political coalition”.

And while there is a Government that has the parliamentary majority, Rashi says the government should hear US and EU calls to establish an association in line with the Kosovo Constitution. Moreover, he says its implementation has no alternative.

Likewise, Rashi, who is also director in Balkans Police Research Group, said the Government should make a plan together with the US on how to get to the end of the dialogue.

From small countries, it is required to play smart and powerful allies in international relations. The government should offer the statute for ESM and offer it ready in the case of the normalisation agreement to pledge to its implementation and past agreements. If more is required during the negotiations next year, then Kosovo must study well the constitutional arrangements and re-regulation what it will offer to make this analysis and response to any negotiation scenario, what will happen to 2/3 in the Assembly, etc., etc.

With the statute being made, making preparations for association, Kosovo wins the entire international factor on its side, on the eve and during dialogue on the normalisation agreement, according to Rashi.

But can Serbia agree with an association that lacks executive power?

Serbia will hardly agree with the ESM. They see the ESM only as the beginning of a process and will require much more for the north during negotiations”.

The latest situation established in the country's north, Rashi is seeing Belgrade's result in opposing the EU proposal, which has the backing of powers such as France, Germany and the US, as it is not adapting to it. Even though EU officials have said neither side has rejected this plan.

“In fact, the entire Belgrade rebellion and the departure of Serbs from institutions, the establishment of barricades has to do with Serbia's not enjoying the Franco-German plan at all and will try to turn the role of the EU and the international factor in 2011 into a process of gradual and technical dialogue that would flee the agreement for full normalisation. Serbia's president does not want to close the dialog”.

He says that nothing Kosovo will do and the international factor will not please Serbia, but that the important thing is that Kosovo together with its friends take every step in the construction of the full agreement.

Rashit recommends that Kosovo seize the moment of not being given space to postpone the comprehensive agreement as much as possible.

Serbia used the issue of signs to rebel, then the election issue. These were only alibis. Therefore, Serbia will exploit any situation to create new developments that require efforts to manage crises, rather than eventual solutions. I will also use Pristina's position on the ESM to delay the dialogue on comprehensive agreements. But, in this case, there is also the support of Kosovo's international friends. Therefore, Kosovo is urged to start work before the comprehensive dialogue, so that Serbia is not given the alibi. The ASM will also be part of the final agreement, reached in Brussels in 2013, and there is no reason to refuse, but efforts should be made in its package with the new arrangements of the comprehensive” agreement.

Political analyst says Kosovo should not provide any alibi for the delay of dialogue, and in particular no alibi to its friends.

This is done by making the negotiation plan with them, in particular with the US”.