Andric Rakic: Kurti will not abandon the strategy of 'less dialogue, more changes to reality on the ground'

Milica Andrić Rakić
Source: Kosovo Online

Milica Andric Rakic, Program Manager at the NGO Social Initiative, says that the chief European mediator, Miroslav Lajcak, is attempting to use US influence to persuade Pristina to return to dialogue, but that this will only be influenced by the new European administration and the future composition of the government. Otherwise, she claims, it is unlikely that there will be a shift in Pristina’s strategy of “less dialogue, more changes to reality on the ground.”

"Until we see the composition of the new government in Pristina, and unless we have a government with a broader coalition – meaning a government of the Self-Determination and some larger political party, not just minorities – I really don’t see any progress happening. We will see a freezing of this situation until political circumstances change or until the authorities in Pristina are convinced that dialogue is the way to resolve issues, or unless there is a major escalation," Andric Rakic told Kosovo Online.

She reminds that since September 2021, Kosovo has entered a cycle of constant crises with a clear goal of artificially changing the reality on the ground.

"Everything we have seen in the last three years, starting from September 2021 when we entered this cycle of constant crises, shows that the Government of Kosovo is not deviating from its course, which can be described as 'less dialogue, more actions aimed at changing the reality on the ground,'" Andric Rakic emphasized.

She does not view last week's diplomatic efforts by the chief European negotiator Miroslav Lajcak in Brussels as an attempt to revive dialogue, but rather as an effort to persuade Prime Minister Kurti to attend a meeting.

"I wouldn't say this was a new attempt to revive the dialogue. Lajcak simply used the opportunity provided by the UN General Assembly session and the presence of Kasanof, the US official, to leverage his authority to convince Kurti to attend a meeting. I wouldn’t read too much into it," Andric Rakic said.

She explains that many decisions will depend not only on the upcoming elections in Kosovo but also on decisions made by the future European Commissioner, Kaja Kallas.

"Much will depend on her going forward. First, we are waiting to see if she will want to keep the mediator, and then, if not, whom she will choose for that position if she doesn’t decide, like (Federica) Mogherini, to handle the dialogue herself. I don’t see any serious movements within the dialogue in the coming months."

She believes that the Kosovo side is not considering moving beyond the Ohrid Agreement, whose implementation is still a long way off.

At the same time, as she says, this could only be possible if Serbia significantly changes its stance on Kosovo.

"That would be a significant shift in Serbia’s position regarding the situation in Kosovo. However, the Serbian authorities have already shown some willingness to make such a change by accepting the Ohrid Agreement. It is possible, but I don’t believe that any pressures for recognition, if they occur, will bear fruit before the full implementation of the Ohrid Agreement," Andric Rakic concluded.