Where were the railway and air lines before the Washington Agreement?

United States President-elect Donald Trump will begin his new mandate in January 2025.

In September of that year, five years will take place since Trump, who served as president both from 2017 to 2021, has participated in the signing of the Agreement to normalise economic relations between Kosovo and Serbia.

Known as Washington's agreement, it was reached on September 4th 2020 and contains several points from the creation of airlines and railways between Kosovo and Serbia until Israel's recognition of Kosovo.

Until the latter has been fulfilled, many other points remain unapplied.

Former Kosovo institutions officials who have contributed to reaching this agreement, but also economic connoisseurs say it is convenient and must be implemented.

Among the most important points for citizens of both countries, they appreciate those related to free movement related to railway and airline, respectively, but have not been implemented.

Railway and Air Line

With the Washington Agreement, construction of the Pristina-Merdare Railway and Nis-Pristina railway is a priority.

It has also envisioned the establishment of an airline between Pristina and Belgrade, and vice versa, in which the German airline Lufthansa would operate.

Radio Free Europe asked the Government of Kosovo why it has not been worked on implementing these points and whether it is expected but received no answers.

The agreement, in fact, was signed by former Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, just months before the current prime minister, Albin Kurti, takes power.

Even Hoti did not respond to Radio Europe's free interest in the subject.

Trump for Washington Agreement

On the day of signing the deal, then US President Donald Trump has said this is “a very important and historical day”.

After the history of violence and failed negotiations, Trump has said, his administration has made a <x0) major progress” in dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia and “nobody has thought this would be possible”.

“A remarkable bravery was needed by Serbia's president, Vuciq, and Kosovo Prime Minister Hoti, to start these talks and come to Washington to complete these pledges. In doing so, they have made their countries, the Balkans and the world safer”, Trump said.

Rame Cupeva, who has participated in the signing of the railway agreement on the quality of then director of the Road Infrastructure Department, says the “agreement is among the best” Kosovo has made with Serbia.

He says he supports “without reserve” that.

Its implementation has met the Government. But, after the government's shift, no one has made efforts to advance”, says Chupeva for Radio Free Europe.

REL contacted current officials in the Road Infrastructure Department, which operates within the Ministry of Infrastructure, but they did not respond.

The company operating with Kosovo's railway network confirmed that they have not started any work on the Pristina railway, Merdare.

“We, like Infrakos, are willing that whenever the agreement on implementation [of the project] is practically reached, we take our actions”, the REL's response reported.

Similar situation is similar to the previous airline between Pristina and Belgrade, and vice versa.

More than four years after the signing of the Washington Agreement, no aircraft flies between the two countries.

The Lufthansa company, originally operating on this line, did not answer Radio Free Europe's question of where the process was blocked.

Kosovo Civil Aviation Authority Says in Short Answer to The REL that “by now has not accepted any requests from the airline company in question to begin flights to the Pristina line Belgrade”.

Among the signatories of the deal for the airline has been then Civil Aviation Director Eset Berisha.

He recalls that, at the time, the world has faced the COVID-19 pandemic, and airlines have been limited.

But much of it is to blame for the government of Kurt, who has taken power after Hot.

The government has never shown the will to push this deal forward, so it has stalled”, Berisha tells Radio Free Europe.

For economic connoisseurs, living these projects would have to be done as soon as possible, for in addition to facilitating people's movement, they would also positively affect the circulation of goods.

Lulzim Rafuna, chairman of the Kosovo Economic Ode, says he hopes that with the return of Trump to the White House, the focus will also be on implementing the Washington Agreement, because it, according to him, affects the economic development and welfare of citizens.

“It's not an agreement anyway, it's not an agreement that was signed in any unknown room or space. It is the agreement that was signed at the White House, in the Office of the President of the United States, and is of immense value”, he tells Radio Free Europe.

Kurti, after Trump's victory, has been asked by journalists whether it is acceptable to him for the Washington Agreement, but he has said that, initially, he expects the Brussels Agreement to be signed.

For the latter, Kosovo and Serbia have openly agreed last year under the dialogue mediated by the European Union.

The agreement envisions the way towards normalising relations between the two countries, but in practice it has not been implemented.

Currently, Kosovo and Serbia connect through six land border points: Jarinje, Brnjak, Merdare, Mutivoda, Muchibaba and Meheu White.

Free Europe Radio also requested comments from the government of Serbia for the Washington Agreement, but received no answers.