The European Union envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajčak, said today that there is a risk of destabilization of the Western Balkans if the parties do not engage in dialogue and continue to take uncoordinated and urgent actions, and assessed that societies in Kosovo and Serbia are not ready for normalization.
In an interview with Radio Free Europe's Albanian program, Lajčak admitted that not enough was done on the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement by the two sides last year, but that a better agreement cannot be reached and that the parties must understand that progress in the dialogue is deeply connected to their path to the EU.
"If you ask me, the problem is that the two societies (in Kosovo and Serbia) are not ready for normalization," he emphasized.
Asked how the dialogue should end, even if mutual recognition should be included, he said it was up to the parties to declare themselves on that aspect.
"Dialogue is crucial for Kosovo and Serbia, if they are serious about their European aspirations, because the European Union has made it very clear that before they are seriously considered for admission, they must normalize relations. So there is no way around this. That's one thing," he said.
He reminded that the EU is the mediator in this process, "but the process is owned by two parties, Kosovo and Serbia".
"We are doing our best to help them normalize relations, but I have to say that the speed of the process and the outcome of the process do not depend on the European Union, but on the parties," added Lajcak.
As the greatest success as a mediator, Lajčak cited the agreement on the road to normalization that was reached and for which the agreement was reached last year in Ohrid.
"With that agreement, there is no longer a need for negotiations, but for its implementation," he stated.
There were, as he said, concrete results: the recognition of personal documents and license plates, a multimillion-dollar deal in energy, so that since the beginning of this year, residents have been registered and paying for the electricity they use in the municipalities in the north of Kosovo.
"But, unfortunately, the implementation has not started seriously," said Lajcak.
"Some things have been done, but of course since March last year in Ohrid, I expected that we would have more success. Why doesn't it happen? Don't ask the mediator, ask the parties. But of course, they have to do their part. And if not "If you want to do your part, then you are looking for excuses. However, nothing prevents either Kosovo or Serbia from doing what they committed to in Ohrid. And, it is clearly written, this document is public," said the European mediator in the dialogue.
Lajčak said that the dialogue should end with a legally binding agreement.
"In my current role, I can only use the official language of the European Union, that the dialogue must end with a legally binding agreement for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which would solve all remaining issues and pave the way for the European future," said Lajcak.
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