The Kosovo Prime Minister told the new European Union (EU) envoy for dialogue that, as far as Kosovo is concerned, for the dialogue to continue, it is necessary, among other things, for Belgrade to sign an agreement on the normalization of relations and hand over to Kosovo Milan Radoičić, accused of the attack in Banjska in northern Kosovo in 2023.
Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti met separately on February 14 with the new EU envoy for dialogue, Peter Sorensen, to discuss expectations for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.
They first met with Sorensen on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, which began on February 14th.
"We will continue to work with our allies to complete this process with mutual recognition and protection of the sovereignty, constitutionality and territorial integrity of our Republic," Osmani said in a post on the "X" network.
Kurti said it is important to fully implement the agreement on the normalization of relations, reached between Kosovo and Serbia in 2023. The parties have not signed this agreement nor taken any steps towards its implementation.
As announced by the Prime Minister's Office, Kurti said that this agreement "is still being violated and not respected by Serbia, which also refuses to sign it and with a letter from former Prime Minister [Ana] Brnabić, Serbia has practically withdrawn from the agreement."
"In order to move forward, it is necessary to sign an agreement, withdraw the letter from former Prime Minister Brnabić, and surrender terrorist leader Milan Radoičić, for whom there is already a 160-page indictment from the Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Kosovo," Kurti said, among other things.
Radoičić is believed to have been at large in Serbia since the attack in Banjska in northern Kosovo in September 2023. Radoičić claimed responsibility for the armed attack in Banjska when a Kosovo police officer was killed.
Peter Sorensen from Denmark officially began work on February 1, succeeding Miroslav Lajčak.
President Osmani, Prime Minister Kurti and other Kosovo officials criticized Lajčak for his unequal approach to the dialogue and for occasionally, as they claim, "taking Serbia's side."
EU High Representative Kaja Kallas stated on February 13 that she had heard criticism of the current format of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, and said that she would, together with Sorensen, examine the possibility of making the dialogue between the two neighboring countries functional.
Sorensen said on February 13 that he had discussed ways to advance the dialogue process in Paris and Berlin over the past two days.
"I am grateful for their full support of my efforts," Sorensen said on the X network, where he also posted photos with officials from both countries.
It is unclear when Sorensen might hold the first meeting within the dialogue, given that elections were held in Kosovo on February 9th and a new government is expected to be formed, while Serbia faces political uncertainty following the resignation of the prime minister.
Kalas said she is waiting for Kosovo to form a new government to "see how to proceed."
Sorensen, unlike his predecessor, will only deal with the dialogue between the two neighboring countries, not with regional Balkan issues.
Sorensen's appointment was seen as a positive one, given that the 57-year-old diplomat knows the region well. He has served in Kosovo, within the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), as well as in other diplomatic roles in Serbia, North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Another argument that officials in Pristina cited as positive is that he is from Denmark, a country that recognizes Kosovo's statehood, and that he will have equal access to dialogue.
Kosovo and Serbia have been in dialogue with the mediation of the European Union since 2011.
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