DW: Serbia, Kosovo with agreement to reach agreement

As the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell gladly declared in Brussels on Monday 27 February, that the two guests did not want additional discussions about “European proposal” and that the issue was successfully closed, began with the analysis of what was actually agreed upon and on a sustainable basis.

The European Union published more or less the same text that reached the media a few weeks ago known as the Franco-German agreement. As explained, it should be the framework for further negotiations, but now it is necessary to determine the implementation plan exactly what, as well as what order.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, as soon as they concluded their meeting with Borelli, have given reporters their views, which are completely different.

So writes Deutsche Welle in an article dedicated to developments following Monday's meeting in Brussels between Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vuciq.

Kurti, on the other hand, said that association is only one and the last sentence in the agreement, but on the other hand, Vuciq insisted on association as a precondition.

Vuciq on Tuesday evening has explained to RTS that Serbia wants to discuss everything except recognition of Kosovo and Kosovo's membership in the United Nations. According to him, those red lines will be respected, even though in the currently accepted framework Serbia “will not object to” Kosovo's entry into international organisations.

“even though the final signing is still lacking, it is a major political success for the EU, but also for the entire region”, European Parliament MP Violet von Cremon told DW, recalling the tensions of recent months.

The German Greens politician is convinced that this text of the agreement can convince Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Romania and Slovakia to recognise Kosovo and that Pristina formally moves towards the EU.

Fellow conversationators are not convinced of this great success. Until everything is explained, this is not political success. Not yet”, says Balkan expert Florian Biber of Graz University, broadcasts Clankosova.tv.

Biber sees the text of the Framework Agreement as a de facto recognition of Kosovo from Serbia, but adds that the bitter pill for Pristina is that there is no full recognition. For Kosovo, the most important problem is blocking membership in international organisations from countries that do not recognise independence”, he said. It is unclear whether such an agreement is enough for some countries to establish the tape for Kosovo, Bieber added.

Continued Pressure

Politologist Vedran Dzijic from the Austrian Institute for International Policy says it is a <x0-wise big question” that Serbia will accept that Kosovo becomes a member of the UN with the finalisation of the agreement.

Dzijic also expects further disagreement with the AKS, which Kurti does not want to grant wider executive competencies for fearing a <x0-calcal Troina” in Kosovo. Politologist also recalls that the Kosovo Constitutional Court's decision strains its formation.

Other provisions of the deal are rarely mentioned as controversial and concerned recognition of documents and symbols, co-operation and exchange of permanent missions.

The EU's special envoy, Miroslav Lajcak, is expected to continue with “shtutoll”dipology “, so that by the meeting of EU heads of state and government in late March, everything will be placed on paper and signed. Until then, both Vuciq and Kurti may still be exposed to political pressure.

“Political pressure is good, but what they call English ownership is also necessary. That at one point they themselves say they want to sign this deal”, concludes Eurodeputa Von Kramon-Taubadel.