Association, new condition for lifting Kosovo sanctions

The European Union has modified the conditions for lifting measures on Kosovo. Of the 4 conditions publicised on July 10, 2023, where de-exception was being discussed, they have already added the foundation of the Serb-based Commission Association in combination. The president of the European Commission (KE), Ursula Von Der Leyen, who has visited Kosovo just three days after the statement Scholz, Macron, Melon, where Kosovo is asked to join Serbia's recognition de-facto.

Because of the Kosovo Government's actions in northern Kosovo, the European Union on 28 June had announced Kosovo institutions for the measures set. Their removal was conditional on a 4-point European plan for de-pass.

It included Kosovo's expression of readiness for suspension of the situation and that no action could lead to the transition. This included the immediate reduction of 25 %s of police presence in and around municipal buildings in the north. At the second point, Kosovo police reportedly conducted security assessments together with KFOR and EULEX, as needed, to see the possibility of reducing the entire police presence in and around municipal buildings.

At the previous point, it was said that the Government of Kosovo is publicly expressed in support of holding early elections in 4 municipalities in the north and is committed to providing the necessary legal basis for their organisation. After that, the EU suggested that I would invite the chief negotiators to Brussels for finalising the sequence plan, after each will start implementing all agreement provisions.

The Kosovo government was set in motion after these EU de-sept conditions, reducing the number of police officers and drafting an administrative guide for the dismissal of four municipalities in the north and organising petitions for holding early elections. Despite these, the EU considered that the demand for de-scaling has yet to be met. These actions were preceded by a trip by chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi to Bratislava, Slovakia, where he met Emsar Miroslav Lajcak.

The terrorist attack on Banjska on September 24th and the focus on the security aspect have overshadowed these issues for a while.

Banjska, however, has had no major effect on the negotiations process. Kosovo continues to be under EU measures, while the condition for its removal has already been reduced to a single point -- that of the Serb-run municipality Association.

That is what European Commission chief Ursula Von Der Leyen said during his meeting with the country's president, Vjosa Osman, and Prime Minister Albin Kurti. Asked about the measures, Von Der Leeyen has mentioned the draft status status for association that the five have handed over to Kosovo and Serbia. German politician has said that association is a crucial issue and opens the door to Kosovo in access to the 30 billion-euro EU development plan.

This is what the President and I have talked to and of course we talked to the prime minister about what can be done for the measures to be withdrawn and here we have the subject of a draft status discussion. What I say is very technical, but it is a very important step towards normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia. This is crucial and will naturally open the door to access the growth plan. We're working on this. This is something that both sides should take all necessary steps here, it is crucial that there is no passage but also to move towards the European Union”, EC chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Monday in Pristina.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vucic, last week have met France's president, Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Sholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Mellon. Also at the meeting were European Council President Charles Michel, High Representative Josep Borelli and Emisari Miroslav Lajcak.

After the meeting, Kurti and Vuciq have claimed to have accepted the European proposal for Association, however, Borell has said no one has been able to accept it without setting preconditions that have been unacceptable to the other side.

Meanwhile, Macron, Scholz and Melon have issued a joint communiqué, where they have called on Kosovo to start with the establishment of association under the European proposal and to give recognition to Kosovo defacto. The European three have called for Kosovo and Serbia to overcome differences in detail and move urgently towards progress in negotiations. /GazetaExpress