Pacolli: Establishing the CSM depends on Prime Minister Kurti's electoral calculations; I don't see the EU lifting measures against Kosovo soon

In an interview with Kosovo Online, Behgjet Pacolli says that he doesn't see a clear strategy regarding what will happen in the north, and there are no indications that the EU will soon lift measures against Pristina. He emphasizes that two currencies cannot exist in Kosovo, and the establishment of the CSM depends on the political calculations of Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

The leader of the Alliance for the New Kosovo states that there are legitimately elected mayors in the north, and the petitions represent a quiet agreement between Belgrade and Pristina regarding the return of the Serb List to Kosovo's institutions.

"I don't see a clear strategy for what will happen in the north and with the local elections there. We have legitimately elected mayors, and that is an undeniable fact. What we see today is a quiet agreement between Pristina and Belgrade for the Serb List to organize these petitions that will lead to the potential removal of elected mayors. That is the reality, and everything else revolves around the issue of bringing the Serb List back into the institutions. It has nothing to do with political pluralism in the Serbian community or with the democratic process but is a process controlled by the Serb List for the removal of elected mayors, with the blessing of Pristina," Pacolli believes.

Do you expect the EU to lift punitive measures against Kosovo?"

"It seems that there are no indications that this will happen soon, and the reason is that our government has taken on some obligations, such as accepting the draft statute of the Community and bringing back the Serb List to institutions in the north. Without adopting the Statute, sending it to the Constitutional Court, and bringing back the Serb List to the municipalities in the north, I don't see that the measures will be lifted.

Will the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities be established this year?

This decision depends on the political calculations of Prime Minister Kurti, as well as Vucic's. No one else has influence on this matter. Whether he will adhere to the commitment he made in October last year to accept the statute of the Community and send it to the Constitutional Court depends solely on Prime Minister Kurti and his electoral calculations.

What is your view on the announcement of abolishing the dinar in Kosovo?

Poor communication from the Government of Kosovo and the wrong stance of the international community. The dinar was removed during the UNMIK era (editor's note: before 2008 and the declaration of independence), and since the declaration of independence, the euro has been the only official currency in Kosovo. A state cannot have two currencies, there is neither financial nor political logic, let alone legal.

Will there be extraordinary general elections in Kosovo this year?

Prime Minister Kurti should be asked because he has a majority in the Assembly to decide whether to go for early elections. But at least we see that the pre-election campaign is underway.

Do you expect the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to "stagnate" due to the upcoming elections in the European Parliament, as well as in the US? How would a potential Trump victory affect the US attitude towards Kosovo, Serbia, and the dialogue?

The dialogue has long been stagnant, and it cannot lead to an intensive process because, in the meantime, the European Union is electing new institutions, which necessarily brings a pause. At the same time, elections will be held in the US. American policy has shown consistency in the commitment to the normalization process between Kosovo and Serbia, and the same policy will continue with any president chosen by the Americans.

Do you expect new recognitions of Kosovo in 2024, and how do you comment on the fact that five EU countries still do not recognize Kosovo?"

"Recognition can, but does not have to happen. It all depends on how active Kosovo's diplomacy is. Many countries are willing to recognize Kosovo, and the Kosovo Government should approach them. As for these five countries, their non-recognition is a significant obstacle for Kosovo and has made Serbia more aggressive in its policy towards Kosovo. If the European Union were united, the situation in the region would be better.

Can Kosovo become a member of the Council of Europe this year, considering that, among other things, elections in the north and the return of the country to the Visoki Decani Monastery are mentioned as conditions for membership?

Elections in the north would be meaningless and a very banal condition. Kosovo deserves membership in the Council of Europe and has a better situation than many countries that have been there for decades. Regarding the decision on the Decani Monastery, Kosovo is late in implementing that decision. There is no higher authority in Kosovo than the Constitutional Court, and regardless of opinions about whether the decision is good or bad, that decision must be implemented. Kosovo has the opportunity to refer this decision to the European Court of Human Rights and to ask and argue why this decision is wrong.