Kurti: The CSM cannot be a condition for normalizing relations between Serbia and Kosovo

(Patria) - Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti stated today in Brussels that he cannot accept the formation of the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority to be a prerequisite for the implementation of the agreement on the normalization of relations, and that an agreement on the implementation plan for that agreement needs to be reached beforehand.

- It cannot be a prerequisite for the implementation of the agreement on the normalization of relations - Kurti said after a new round of dialogue on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, held under the auspices of the EU, i.e., its External Action Service.

Kurti stated that he has always been ready to discuss the association of municipalities with the Serbian population in municipalities where they are the majority.

- However, the statute of the association of municipalities cannot be negotiated without agreeing on the implementation plan for the normalization agreement - Kurti conveyed.

Borrell, who co-hosted the meeting with the Special Envoy for Dialogue Miroslav Lajčak, said that he presented a compromise proposal to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti regarding the implementation of the agreement on the path to normalization of relations and its annexes from February and March of this year.

Borrell emphasized that the Kosovo side wanted to start with the "political aspects" of normalization first, which means "formalizing de facto recognition as a first step".

On the other hand, Serbia insisted on starting with the establishment of the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, which is an obligation signed by both parties back in 2013, reports Hina.

- We therefore proposed what we see today as the only compromise - to initiate a process in which these two processes would run in parallel.

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Kurti was not ready to move forward and begin a credible process of establishing the association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, while President Vučić accepted the EU's proposal for the implementation of the normalization agreement - Borrell stated.

Kurti had a completely different interpretation of the meeting, saying that today he was the only one who proposed something.

- I proposed the implementation plan for the Brussels agreement on normalization and its annex from Ohrid. There were no proposals or papers from the Serbian or European side - Kurti asserted.

He accused the EU of accepting the conditions set by Serbia.

Serbian President Vučić emphasized that the meeting ended without success due to Kosovo's rejection of the compromise proposal.

- Serbia accepted the EU's compromise proposal - Vučić said.

He added that talks must continue.

- The talks ended without success in defining a clear path towards the normalization of relations.

The European Union stated how things should proceed, and we accepted it, although it is not easy for us, but Kurti did not want it, and that is how the meeting ended - Vučić added.