The professor at “Johns Hopkins” University in the United States of America, Daniel Serwer, tells KosovaPress that resetting of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue is necessary. According to him, the EU emissary for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has failed since the parties are not implementing the Brussels Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Annex and as such are ineffective. He particularly criticizes Serbia for not agreeing to sign the agreement and is constantly denying it.
The American analyst asks the European Union to remove the punitive measures against Kosovo, while emphasizing the need for those responsible for last year’s terrorist attack in Banjska of Zveçan to be brought to justice as soon as possible. In addition to these, he declares that Kosovo-USA relations are in a difficult time, but adds that nothing has changed in terms of the goals for the independence and sovereignty of Kosovo.
The American connoisseur of the political circumstances in the Western Balkans tells KosovaPress that within the reformation of the dialogue, it is necessary to go more towards approximations in practical matters on the ground, than towards political normalization.
“It’s up to Kosovo and Serbian to do it. Serbia has clearly in writing rejected implementation of the Brussels agreement. I cannot do anything to force Serbia to accept it. I think it’s quite clear that we need a reset in the dialogue. I’d like to see a reset towards more practical issues and not towards political normalization. It’s a bridge too far” he says.
Although he states that the EU emissary for dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, knows the Western Balkans better than any diplomat who has served in the region, according to him, he has failed in dialogue.
“Miroslav knows the Balkans as well as any diplomat who has served here, better than 99 percent I would say. But he has not been successful. It’s these two agreements, are agreements that have been disowned by Serbia, and that’s a failure”, adds Serwer.
The American professor considers it necessary to remove punitive measures against Kosovo.
“Of course, it should remove the sanctions against Kosovo. And I’m glad to see them incorporate provisions of the agreements in the chapters for Serbia’s EU accession and do the same for Kosovo eventually, that’s a good thing. But still for now the agreements are dead letters”, he declares.
Speaking about last year’s terrorist attack in Banjska of Zveçan, Serwer says that the person responsible for this attack, Milan Radoicic, should be handed over to the justice authorities in Kosovo.
“It’s inexcusable; Radojicic in particular should be turned over to Kosovo for trial”, Serwer emphasizes.
As for Kosovo-USA relations, the American analyst says that the circumstances were a bit difficult at this time, but as he declares, nothing has changed from the American objectives for the independence and sovereignty of Kosovo.
“The times it’s obviously been a little rough, but you know, there’s nothing fundamentally different between American objectives for Kosovo, and Kosovo objectives for Kosovo, we both want this year sovereign and independent state, and that’s what’s really important”, Serwer concludes.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti stayed this week in Brussels, as part of the dialogue, but he only met with the high representative of the EU for foreign policy, Josep Borrell, and did not meet with the Serbian president, Aleksandër Vucic. Before meeting with Vucic, Kurti requested the signing of the Brussels Basic Agreement and the Ohrid Annex, the withdrawal of the letter of the former Serbian Prime Minister, Ana Bernabic, to the EU countries for not implementing certain articles of the agreement and the delivery of Radoicic to the justice authorities in Kosovo.
