Kosovo, Serbia expected to reach energy deal in the north, missing persons

European Union spokesman Peter Stano says about The KP, that at the last meeting of the chief negotiators, has also been discussed in preparing the ground for the upcoming Kosovo-Serbia dialogue summit.

On February 22nd, EU Special Representative Lajcak held meetings with Kosovo and Serbia's two chief negotiators on a series of concrete issues, with the aim of discussing issues related to implementing past agreements, as well as future steps for normalising relations with the aim of preparing the ground for the upcoming summit of dialogue. After 11 hours of intensive negotiations, the parties approached finding common language on several issues of essential importance for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia, such as the current for Kosovo's north and resolving the fate of missing persons. We expect the parties to quickly reach an agreement on these issues, to allow the beginning of discussions on new topics important for normalising relations”, he says through a written response to Kosovo Preress.

According to Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi, the solution to energy in the north will be finalised very quickly.

“Within the context of so-called commitments, we have made remarkable progress in finding a final solution to energy in the north. This problem has been addressed in the context of dialogue since 2013, but unresolved so far. This topic has been discussed with the EU at the last meeting, and our expectations are for the same to be finalised very quickly. This would pave the way for bringing all energy users into the legal system by establishing the principle of equality... At the moment we are working on providing the necessary substance for the arrangement of the next meeting at the level of state leaders, where it would be discussed the elements of the comprehensive accord”, he said at the Assembly session, where the dialogue with Serbia was debated.

On the other hand, the most sceptical of continuing dialogue and reaching any agreement under current circumstances is law professor and international relations Enver Hasani.

He tells Kosovo Press that dialogue will be suspended more due to elections in Serbia, rather than Russian aggression in Ukraine. Hasani also voiced criticism over the idea of reaching a non-attack agreement between Kosovo and Serbia.

“Dialogue is suspended, not because of aggression against Ukraine, but because in Serbia there are elections, our side is still working to reach a consensus with finding some way out. It is decapitated by (elections in Serbia) as it is unknown to whom it should be discussed by April, and it must be with who has political power there... The part of the non-attacking agreement and those pompous titles are for internal consumption, but outside they sound ridiculous, as they are. They sound anachronic, especially now, Ukraine and Russia need nonattack and not us with Serbia ... It is a measure of trust and they have nothing to do with it because we like Kosovo have no effective army, we have armies under construction legally and actually and the part of the (border) zone with Serbia is a security zone controlled by KFOR and it poses no danger. This trust measure can only be ascertained because there is”, he says.

After months of stoppage, Kosovo and Serbia's technical delegations have met in Brussels on February 22nd, meanwhile, a pre-election meeting in Serbia has been warned on April 3rd.

Reaching an energy agreement in the north has also requested US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

I encourage you to pay attention to reaching the agreement on electricity in Kosovo's north and advancing common goals in terms of people found. It is in Kosovo's interest that these issues are resolved and lead to a compromise solution in the short term plan, so that they can serve as the basis for further progress towards comprehensive normalisation”, Blinken wrote in the letter sent to the prime minister, Albin Kurti.