Osmani says agreement between Kosovo, Serbia necessary

Northern Macedonia Foreign Minister Bujar Osmani considers the agreement between Kosovo and Serbia necessary. This is because, as he says, rapid changes in geopoliticals are taking place, which do not favour the Balkans.

Macedonian top diplomat in the Kosovo Press interview says that there may still be challenges and tensions in the Balkans, so stresses that special attention is needed.

He also talks about draft status for Association, while the terrorist attack in Banjska says it has turned everything into zero.

“Balkan security situation It's still a challenge, I don't think there's a permanent threat to destabilization. This is based on the tests we conducted as NATO member states, both as the leader of the OSCE, and according to all the bilateral information we have. It means, in the Balkans, we do not expect any destabilisation that could happen, but the challenge and tension may have, it needs special attention”, he says.

The issue of security in the Balkans and the potential danger recently spoke even Ukrainian President Volodymskyy, under which “Russia is preparing a war in the Balkans”, Osmani says such statements are a positive message about why major topics should be quickly closed.

“We have always been attentive to eventually, the expansion of the conflict in the Balkans. The Balkans have open files, which are in a potential way for the crossing and certainly there are acts that would have wanted to defocus world opinion with a new crisis, and this is a positive message about why we have to hurry to close the big themes here in the region so that we don't allow fertile land for all those mountain acts who want to have the Balkans in reserve territory for the”, Osmani says.

As a result, Osmani says Kosovo and Serbia should exploit the moment to end disagreements.

“You know that North Macedonia was the host of that dialogue (the Ohrid Agreement) that talks a lot about our interest in ending the differences between Kosovo and Serbia soon. The position of Northern Macedonia is that we support a comprehensive agreement between the two countries, which will have mutual recognition at the centre and then the Euro-Atlantic travel of the whole region. We encourage the parties to exploit these important geopolitical moments and advance the negotiation process and reach the agreements because times and geopoliticalism are changing and I think these changes are not going in favour of the region”, he says.

Otherwise, it points out that any procrastination would harm the parties in the process but also the entire region.

“I think there is no alternative [to the final Kosovo-Serbia agreement]. Any procrastination, I think, damages the parties in the process. Geopoliticality is changing, world order is changing, Russian aggression in Ukraine has broken the basic principles of security architecture in Europe, and this certainly does not favour small countries in the region. Therefore, we have to use these important geopolitical moments, the US and Europe's interest to close big themes, because I don't think the future will be favourable”, Osman points out.

Asked about Serbian aggression in Banjska and measures imposed on Kosovo, the Macedonian top diplomat says what happened on September 24th requires reflection of the European Union and the countries of the region, so that it can then be continued with other dynamics.

I think what happened in Banjska was a state of return, of what had happened until then, because it brought us back to zero. In whether there are still acts in the region, who think of territorial solutions to ethnic issues. So this was a matter of reflection, for which both the European Union, and we countries in the region, first address acters who may be ambitious for territorial solutions to ethnic issues and then continue with other dynamics... [ Ends] I think it is necessary [to corrupt the situation between Kosovo and Serbia]. I think the times of war are over. There are two options, war or peace. The gray zone is too dangerous. Therefore, if we appreciate that the Balkan wars have ended, then the only remaining alternative is reconciliation, the closure of open issues, co-operation, the progress of all countries towards the European Union”, he says.

As for the draft state of the Serb majority municipalities, which Prime Minister Albin Kurti has accepted, Osmani is not commenting too much, says it is Kosovo's matter to decide on internal regulation.

It is a matter of Kosovo authorities to decide for the future of Kosovo, for internal order in Kosovo. Northern Macedonia can only provide support and encouragement to the Kosovo side, but also to the Serb side, to continue its commitment towards closing differences because these are holding back the development of both states, but also the entire region”, he points out.

Macedonian top diplomat, at the same time leader of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSBE), Bujar Osmani, tells of Kosova Preress, the challenges they are currently facing. But it is optimistic that they will be able to find a solution to the organisation's continuity.

I hope so. Even if O The SEU is located in a critical phase, at a critical moment of its existence 50 years after its establishment, has come upon us to deal with these existential issues of the EU, and we have fallen upon our shoulders to deal with these existential OSCE issues. We are making our efforts, we hope that the remaining 10 days before the Ministerial Council in Skopje will find solutions to issues that are burdening the future of the organisation... 5:11 I have the responsibility to have hope and to be optimistic because I am the leader of the organisation and I am losing hope, then certainly there will be no chance for success”, he says, as long as he adds that the four OSCE executive leaders, whose mandate has expired, are part of the package of talks with party countries.

Otherwise, O Summit The SEU will be held on November 30th and 1st in Northern Macedonia, where it will decide what the organisation's future will be.