Are Kosovo and Serbia avoiding the EU proposal?

According to them, they will not refuse the meeting in Brussels if they are invited to one.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who mediates dialogue on normalising Kosovo-Serbia relations, has said on February 9th that, soon, a meeting between Kurti and Vuciqi will be called to discuss the European plan for future Kosovo-Serbia reports.

On that same day, Vuciq has said he will go to Brussels when Pristina forms the Association of Serb majority municipalities.

For the Government of Kosovo, this is Serbia's “attempt to avoid discussions on the European plan”.

In a written statement sent to Radios Free Europe, the Government said they expect the upcoming meetings in Brussels, whenever they are held, “will be a good opportunity to address issues under the European proposal”.

They said they are ready for <x0-level political meetings, with clear preliminary agenda” and with the aim of discussions “for legally and internationally binding agreements for the full normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia”.

Kurti has said earlier that establishing the Association of Serb majority municipalities is not a priority for him, though, on February 2nd, he has presented some conditions for his formation.

According to an EU source, Pristina and Belgrade's constitutional positions “create the biggest obstacle to setting the appointment date” in Brussels.

The keeping of the next round of talks depends on leaders from Pristina and Belgrade agree on the date of the first agenda”, this source for Radio Free Europe has said, but without offering other details.

Good luck: Statements of Internal Consumerism

Betman Pazizi, professor at the Journalism Department at the University of Pristina, says Kurti and Vuciqi's statements serve only their public.

These statements are continuing to be brought to the opinion just to reinforce, not the negotiating positions of two chief negotiators, but the internal positions in the respective countries”, says Pajarizi of Radio Free Europe.

According to him, the parties have already worked on the proposal the EU has offered for normalising relations.

The “proposal is already almost entirely agreed on”, says the Pajarizi.

The EU has offered Kosovo and Serbia a proposal for normalising relations at the end of the summer, which is then updated in December.

Its content has not been made public, but is considered by European officials as the way towards reaching a final agreement between Pristina and Belgrade.

Kurti has accepted this proposal, while Vucic has said he is willing to work on its implementation.

Gogic: European Proposal Unacceptable for sides

But, according to politician Ognjen Gogic from Northern Mitrovica, the constitutional statements of Kurti and Vuciqi are in place to reinforce their negotiating positions, but also to prepare the ground to blame each other for blocking the talks.

Gogic says Kurti and Vuciq will exploit the issue of Association to avoid the European Union's proposal for normalisation of relations.

I think they'll be interested in going to Brussels to do just that. So, let's say the talks didn't result because of the other. I consider that this European proposal is neither acceptable to Belgrade nor to Pristina. For Belgrade, it is not acceptable because he gives much to [the Kosovo side] in Belgrade's opinion, while for Pristina it is unacceptable because he offers little. So both [Kurti and Vuciq] will seek ways for the talks to be hampered”, Gogic tells Radio Free Europe.

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Pacarizi says the parties' stated differences over the issue of Association will not be used as a pretext to undermine an eventual agreement, which could come out of the European Union's proposal.

He says Kosovo and Serbia are not in a position to oppose the process in its finals, because the side that will reject it will be punished by international mediators.

They're just going to squirm until the moment. The moment will come soon, because it must be taken into account that the European agreement or plan cannot be implemented without stabilising the situation in the north [of Kosovo]”, says Pacarizi.

Kosovo risks falling into Serbia's “trap

But, Gogic says there are very real signals that the European Union's proposal and the discussion of its parties could fail.

According to him, Belgrade, right through the issue of Association, will make Pristina appear guilty in the eyes of the European Union and the United States of America.

He says Belgrade has already managed on its condition, that the association be formed before the European proposal talks, have the support of the EU and the US, which are pressing Kosovo in this direction.

I consider that everyone will be passed without the construction of Belgrade, which -- nothing less than Pristina -- wants the formation of association. So, Belgrade does not want the formation of the Serb majority municipal association at all and will do anything to prevent this from happening. Even if Prime Minister Kurti made concessions and changed his stance a little bit, Belgrade would not be pleased with that. Serbs from Kosovo and Belgrade would say this is not what they want... Talks would be cut off at this point”, Gogic says.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has now faced increased pressure from the United States and the European Union for forming the Association of Serb-run municipalities.

This association is part of an agreement Kosovo and Serbia have reached in 2013, but it has never been implemented.

Kurti has repeatedly stressed that the single-ethnic Association cannot be formed and one of its conditions is that he “should change the name” and “cannot carry any public or executive powers”.

Serbia demands that the association have executive competencies.