Dencic: Documents regulating the Dialogue contain no reference to recognition, nor is the EU imposing it as a solution

Editor of the foreign affairs desk of Radio Belgrade’s First Programme, Nikola Dencic, stated today that the documents regulating the Belgrade–Pristina dialogue process contain no reference to recognition, adding that, at this stage, even the European Union is not imposing recognition as a solution.

“There is truly no mention of recognition there, neither mutual recognition nor recognition by one side of the other. The requirement is the normalization of relations, and this has been formalized for Serbia within Chapter 35. What is being discussed is normalization, while the final shape it will take will certainly, at some point, become a technical issue that will need to be regulated, and both sides will undoubtedly have to agree to certain concessions. However, at this moment, even the EU is not imposing recognition as a solution,” Dencic told Kosovo Online, commenting on the statement by Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric that the dialogue is not and will not be about recognition, but exclusively about the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities (CSM), in response to claims by Kosovo minister Glauk Konjufca that the dialogue must end with mutual recognition.

Dencic pointed out that the positions of Belgrade and Pristina regarding any form of recognition are unlikely to be reconciled, regardless of repeated claims that this could become a condition for the progress of both a candidate country and a potential future candidate.

“It is difficult to expect, perhaps even impossible, for Belgrade on one side and Pristina on the other to abandon their respective demands and accept those of the other side,” Dencic said.

He recalled that five EU member states do not recognize Kosovo’s independence and noted that, although some of those countries have developed a certain level of relations with Pristina, there are no indications that their positions on this issue could change in the near future.

“Even if the position of one country changes, four would still remain. Decisions at the EU level, that is, within the European Council, are adopted by consensus, and as long as even one state does not recognize Pristina’s independence, I do not believe that recognition by Serbia could come onto the agenda,” Dencic stated.

Regarding high-level dialogue, Dencic noted that Belgrade has always been prepared for talks, whereas conditions have generally come from Pristina.

“At this moment, there is not even anyone in Pristina who formally holds a sufficiently high-ranking position to participate in such dialogue. By delaying the process, Pristina is attempting to buy time for itself. Of course, the justification will be that discussions should not focus on anything else and that recognition by Belgrade should be the only topic. However, as we have seen in the past when certain agreements were reached, whenever specific decisions need to be made, the EU will certainly exert pressure,” Dencic said.

He emphasized that, from Belgrade’s perspective, it is currently positive that “the ball appears to be shifting back to Pristina,” meaning that Pristina may be viewed as responsible if the dialogue fails to continue.

Dencic believes that a high-level meeting could only take place once a stable government is formed in Pristina and when a representative of the authorities there decides to assume responsibility for such a meeting to occur.

“There has constantly been talk about the need for significant progress at the technical level. We have seen certain meetings, but they are now taking place so infrequently that, although there have been some advances, there have been none for quite some time. The consent of both sides is necessary, and the question remains whether even the Serbian side would agree to such a process if it cannot expect certain concessions from Pristina. That is the only way out of the situation and the only thing that could lead to the normalization of relations sought by the EU, but at this moment there can be no talk whatsoever of recognition,” Dencic concluded.