Swiss newspaper: Serbia won first round, but in dialogue holds worse cards than Kosovo

The author of the article, Andreas Ernst, the Balkan policy connoisseur, writes that Serbia “won the first round” in the battle of barricades, but that Serbia's President Aleksandar Vucic “should not enjoy much”.

Ernst stressed that the “West forced Kosovo to meet with the Serb minority”, so even the “pression towards Belgrade to recognise Kosovo will grow further”.

“Currently, the result of the latest round of crisis could be seen as a success for Belgrade, as Vucic sees. But Serbia's letters are worse than Kosovo's”.

“has a proposal on the table that requires at least a de facto recognition of Kosovo's citizenship”, Ernst recalls.

Ernst has also commented on KFOR's statement that if the Kosovo Security Force wants to be deployed to the north, it must first receive the consent of KFOR commander.

“has so far been discussed if such a rule exists. It relatifies Pristina's sovereignty over a part of its territory”, Ernst writes.

He further describes Prime Minister Albin Kurti's attempt to extend sovereignty throughout Kosovo's entire territory.

Kurti's political approach to Kosovo Serbs is to treat them like all other citizens, with the same rights and obligations. Now that legal approach has failed”.

And not because he acts discriminated against, as many Kosovo Serbs claim. Exactly the opposite. He ignores completely different experiences that build the identity of Kosovo Albanians and Serbs”, Ernst added.

Therefore, Ernst stressed that the EU and the US will also put pressure on Kosovo to form the Serb Major Community Association. /Albanian mail