Dialogue in Brussels, why São met Besnik Bislimi and Petar Petkoviqi

The Kosovo government announced Wednesday that during bilateral meetings with the European Union's special envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak spoke about energy under the existing agreement.

“Dictions with the European Union in this area have marked progress, yet details remain to be addressed”, said in a statement.

It is also said to have been discussed in the case of missing persons and car license plates.

However, in the announcement it was not indicated why the joint meeting with the Serb side was not held, even though the same one had been warned.

EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak has not been promoted after meetings, while during the day he has declared the talks were “intensive” on a series of concrete topics.

Meanwhile, the Serbian side has said that with Lajcak they have spoken about the need for the establishment of the Serb majority municipalities.

The first “we've set up was the formation of association. Nine years have passed since the Brussels agreement and we are still waiting for the formation. Without Association, I don't know how we can walk away and talk about other issues. We're willing to talk. But what's important is to implement all the agreements”, Serbia's delegation chief for dialogue Petar Petkovic has told Serbian media.

He has blamed Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bissim for failing to hold a trilateral meeting.

Free Europe Radio reports that according to diplomatic sources, Kosovo's delegation has not refused to meet with the Serb side, but has not wanted to discuss with it the topics it considers closed and which you think should talk to the EU only for implementation modalities.

The Kosovo side thinks the energy agreement is a matter carried out, while the text is also available in detail for its implementation on Kosovo's territory.

Also, if there is progress in the coming days on energy issues and those of missing persons, conditions could also be created for a high-level meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq.

If, at this meeting, according to diplomatic sources, it will be discussed elements of the comprehensive agreement, which in the EU say is the main goal of dialogue.

Although the Serbian side has said that in the dialogue it will also demand that voting on Kosovo's territory be allowed in Serbia's elections, at the Kosovo delegation's meeting with special envoy Miroslav Lajcak has not been discussed on the subject.

However, EU sources say “should find an opportunity to enable voting even in Kosovo”, though this is not a formal topic of dialogue.

Serbia holds early parliamentary and presidential elections on April 3rd.

Kosovo institutions, unlike previous practice, have warned they will not allow their organisation in Kosovo.

Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, with EU mediation, started in 2011.

The new round of talks on February 22nd took place after a relatively long time without meetings, except those of experts on car license plates.

A transitional agreement has been reached on this issue in the fall of last year, but it has been said that a long-term agreement should be reached in a six-month term.

Diplomatic sources in Brussels have warned that Tuesday's meetings will be used to test whether there is enough readiness between the parties even for a high-level meeting between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq.

Both sides have publicly said they are ready for such a meeting, but the EU has insisted that if it happens, there should be concrete results as well. / REL