Suspect of continuing Lajcak's mandate, two years without progress in dialogue

The lack of progress in dialogue during Lajcak's two years of mediation, and his personal ambitions are considered one of the reasons for change. However, the European Union has not returned answers to such claims. On the other hand, connoisseurs of developments in the dialogue seek the EU to redefine its role in this process, whether or not the facilitater of dialogue is changed.

Violet Hajoli from the Kosovo Democratic Institute(KDI) says the lack of progress in the dialogue has not only been Lajcak's fault, as there was will on either side for the deal.

Mr. Lajcak has had a uniform role in the dialogue process. He has tried to surround the parties in their positions on special agreements. It is not as if it has marked much progress, but that is not because it has been his fault, as far as the lack of the will of the parties -- Kosovo and Serbia -- has been to reach specific agreements. Then there were numerous electoral processes in the time Lajcak served, changing governments in Kosovo, and so on”, says Hajolli.

Persistent on continuing Lajcak's mandate is analyst Gazmir Racic, who says Lajcak is a career diplomat and an influential person in EU and Slovakia politics.

According to him, with the support of the US, Germany, France and Great Britain, Lajcak could push ahead with the dialogue process.

Mr. Lajcak is a career diplomat from Slovakia and an influential person, as well as an impact on EU policy, has strong connections and contacts with representatives of the American government. He must continue the mandate again because he is a person who has great influence and comes from a state that has not recognised Kosovo, and if any final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, I expect Slovakia will be among the first to recognise Kosovo's independence. Of course he cannot postpone the processes alone, without the help of the US, Germany, France and also Great Britain”, Raci declares.

Despite possible changes in the dialogue mediation process, Violet Hajoli from KDI says the EU should be more demanding and guarantor for the final agreement with mutual recognition.

We are not notified that there are plans for him to be replaced by any other representative. I believe that in this direction, the EU needs in general, depending on what representative will serve as facilitator of the dialogue process, the EU will probably condition more Kosovo and Serbia to devote themselves to the process of dialogue and reaching an agreement. In this direction it could condition Serbia in this case, which has opened chapters with the EU, insist on implementing the agreements reached and showing more constructive in the process of dialogue in general. Whether or not the person who wants to facilitate the dialogue will replace the dialogue, I believe the EU will redefine its role in this process by being more demanding and guarantor for the agreement reached and more demanding to the parties to commit more to this” process, she adds.

Miroslav Lajcak has received the mandate on April 4th of 2020, originally with a 1-year term, then last year he has extended his mandate until August 31st 2022. /kp