Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has once again rejected calls from Western diplomats to fulfill their obligations under the agreement for normalizing relations with Kosovo, which effectively means recognizing Kosovo’s independence.
During a joint press conference with Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, Vučić stated, “The recognition of Kosovo’s independence is not a matter for us, and I’ve reiterated this several times. I have no hesitation or embarrassment in stating this once more, even in front of the President of the European Commission”.
He added, “For Serbia, it is clear what we cannot do against our Constitution, and we have communicated this to all our partners not just once but multiple times. This is Serbia’s stance, and we are aware of what Serbia has accepted and what we have discussed, debated, and approved in the Serbian Parliament. In line with this, we will act responsibly and seriously in fulfilling our commitments”.
Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni individually met with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić in Brussels to advance the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. In a joint statement last Friday, they called for Kosovo to initiate the process of establishing the Association of Serb-majority municipalities, while Serbia should recognize Kosovo’s de facto statehood.
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, emphasized the importance of Serbia and Kosovo’s commitment to normalization.
“In this aspect, it is crucial for Serbia to support the status of the Association of municipalities, and Kosovo should implement this statute. Furthermore, it is essential for Serbia to commence the implementation of existing agreements without delay,” she noted, highlighting that de facto recognition means Serbia should acknowledge Kosovo’s documents and institutions.
On October 21, American and European envoys presented a document to the parties, which included a “contemporary European proposal for the status of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities”, as Brussels officials described it. This issue is considered the most challenging point in the Kosovo-Serbia negotiation process.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić mentioned that the Western diplomatic proposal includes some principles signed eight years ago.
“There are a total of 21 or 22 principles signed in 2015 by me and Isa Mustafa. Many of these principles are based on the project’s statute,” he said, emphasizing that he cannot provide more details.
Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti stated his readiness to sign the proposal for the Association, which involves the Constitutional Court assessing its constitutionality. He emphasized that it was crafted carefully in line with the country’s constitutional letters and structure.
Western diplomacy has urged Kosovo and Serbia to promptly implement the agreements reached for the normalization of relations, which would also ease tensions between the two countries.
However, the process of implementing the agreement may face challenges due to the upcoming Serbian parliamentary elections scheduled for December 17. On Monday, the Serbian Government formally requested President Vučić to dissolve the parliament and announce new elections, requests which were formalized by Vučić this Wednesday.
