Vučić took another step towards recognition of Kosovo – for the sake of money and the promise of joining the EU
The so-called Franco-German plan for normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina will be fully implemented by both parties, and an Annex on its implementation with more specific steps has been agreed upon.
This was the result of 12-hour negotiations President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic with the “Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo” Albin Kurti with the participation of Western mediators, which took place on March 18 in the city of Ohrid (North Macedonia), a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
The text of the “Annex on the implementation of the agreement on the path to normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia” was published on the website of the European Foreign Service. It says that this document is an integral part of the previously presented so-called Franco-German plan, implying de facto recognition by Serbia of the independence of the “Republic of Kosovo”, which Albanian separatists proclaimed on the territory of the Serbian autonomous province of Kosovo and Metohija. Both sides pledged to “respect” both the plan itself and its annex.
Already in the second paragraph of the Appendix it is said that it, along with the plan, will become “integral part of the respective accession processes of Kosovo and Serbia to the European Union" It also states that Pristina and Belgrade have taken note that “any non-compliance with obligations under previous agreements may have direct negative consequences for their accession to the EU and the provision of financial assistance from the European Union».
The text contains a clause regarding the creation of the Community of Serbian Municipalities, which the authorities in Pristina pledged to form back in 2013 according to the Brussels Agreement, but did not do so without any consequences for themselves.
“Kosovo will immediately initiate negotiations... to create concrete agreements and guarantees to ensure an adequate level of self-government for the Serb community in Kosovo in accordance with previous dialogue agreements,” the document says.
The level of vagueness of the wording is obvious to everyone.
In addition, the EU has committed to organizing a “donors” conference within 150 days to establish an investment and financial assistance package for Belgrade and Pristina. But it will not be granted until it is determined that all provisions of the agreement have been fully implemented.
“Kosovo and Serbia agree that they will implement all points independently of each other. Kosovo and Serbia agree that they will not block the implementation of any article (clause). All discussions related to the implementation of the agreement will take place within the framework of the EU-led dialogue,” the European Foreign Service said.
The parties also agreed to create within 30 days a Joint Monitoring Committee chaired by the EU, which will monitor the implementation of all provisions.
Following the negotiations, the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, said that the EU welcomes the parties’ agreement to implement the Agreement on the Path to Normalization of Relations, which “is intended to become an integral and obligatory part of their European path". According to him, "the goal was for Kosovo and Serbia to agree on how to implement the Agreement adopted at the meeting on February 27 in Brussels».
“I must admit that we initially proposed a more ambitious and detailed proposal for the Annex. Unfortunately, the parties were unable to reach an agreement... This was not done because, on the one hand, Kosovo was not flexible in terms of content, and on the other hand, because of the principles that Serbia had previously announced,” Borrell said .
"Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo" Albin Kurti said that "this is not a final agreement, but it has been accepted." He also noted that the Serbian President is avoiding signing the agreement, which is recognition of Kosovo's de facto independence.
“Now we have an annex on how we will implement the agreement. It is acceptable for us - I am not running away from signing,” said the Kosovo “prime minister”.
In turn, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic named as his main achievement at the negotiations in Ohrid the fact that he “didn't sign anything».
According to him, he did not sign the proposed document primarily because Serbia is an internationally recognized state, unlike Kosovo. Vucic said it is difficult to prove that the agreement exists without a signature, but Serbia is ready to implement it before its “red lines”, which relate to the formal recognition of Kosovo.
“What has changed for us is that we now know that our European path will depend on what we do. Anyone tomorrow can say that they are not interested in the European path. And I am interested, because I am a president who must take into account the interests of the country. I understand what we must do while maintaining our state interests. I think it’s better for us to stay on the European path,” said Aleksandar Vucic in a special address to the nation.
Thus, for internal use, Vučić will insist that the document has not been signed, so accusations from the opposition of “surrendering Kosovo” are unfounded. And for the West, it will confirm its obligations and strictly fulfill them, as was the case with the Brussels Agreement, which only Belgrade implemented.
Как reported “PolitNavigator”, February 27, 2023 Aleksandar Vucic did not abandon the Western plan providing for de facto recognition of Kosovo’s independence
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