The EU reacts to Kurt for Association: You Can't Quit responsibilities

European Union spokesman Peter Stano said Prime Minister Albin Kurti must move forward in the implementation of the Brussels Base Agreement and the Ohrid annex, reached in 2023, therefore launch steps for the establishment of association.

“According to relevant 2013 and 2015 Dialogue Agreements, the statute for establishing the AKS must be drafted and discussed in dialogue. Any proposal should be discussed with Serbia and the EU mediator, and be in line with the 2013 and 2015 agreements.

This also means that the Government of Kosovo cannot draw up the statue outside dialogue. The government cannot give up its responsibilities under dialogue or delegate them to Kosovo Serb majority municipalities”, Stano told the KP.

Furthermore, Stano adds that the European draft state for Association is based on European models and good practices, as well as on Kosovo's legal framework.

According to him, Kurti has accepted the draft status in principle, in the presence of European leaders and that the same is supported by the 27 EU nations. So, as he says, qualification of this document as a “paper” ignores the European Union Council's invitation to continue on this basis the Brussels dialogue.

“This European Draft Statut is based on European models and good practices, as well as on Kosovo's legal framework. The draft was introduced to Prime Minister Kurti personally by the EU mediator along with the National Security Councilrs of France, Germany and Italy, as well as the US Special Representative. At a high-level meeting in support of dialogue in the presence of President Macron, Prime Minister Mellon and Chancellor Scholz, the two sides agreed in principle to the European Charter”.

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“In its conclusions of December 2023, the European Council welcomed the readiness of Serbia and Kosovo to accept the draft status submitted by EU mediator. This is a formal recognition of the document by all 27 EU member states. The labeling of the European designer as “simply a non-paper” ignores the European Union Council's invitation to continue on this basis and further delays the prospect of creating it”, it concludes.

This statement came a day after Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he cannot make association of municipalities in the quality of the government's chief and that it is up to municipalities to make association.

“I as prime minister of the Republic of Kosovo, and as chairman of the largest political party in the country and the assembly, of the most extraordinary movement that Albanians have in the 21st century, can make association of arguments in discurs, or association of projects in the programme, but I cannot associate municipalities in the republic, it is up to municipalities to make association”, Kurti said.

In 2013, Kosovo signed the Brussels Agreement, which was ratified by the Kosovo Assembly in a two-thirds majority. Among other things, the establishment of the Serb majority municipalities is also envisioned.

In terms of this topic, Kosovo also agreed on the principle agreement for Association in 2015, until, under the Brussels Agreement and Ohrid annex reached in 2023, the implementation of past agreements and the establishment of a self-advancing for the Serb community in Kosovo is envisioned.