Dencic: Wadephul’s messages were expected; key topic in Pristina will be the formation of institutions

Nikola Dencic, editor of the foreign affairs section of Radio Belgrade’s First Program, told Kosovo Online that one of the messages delivered by the German foreign minister during his tour of the Western Balkans is that it is not enough to merely launch reforms, but that their implementation is necessary in order to speed up the path toward European integration.

As for Pristina, one of the key topics will be the formation of institutions, as well as ways to revive the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

“The messages were somewhat expected, with certain specifics he highlighted at each stop in the countries that are candidates or potential candidates. It is clear that the goal of this, let’s freely call it a blitz tour – since Wadephul visited six cities in three days – is preparation for the European Union Summit. This visit was in a way planned, given that the EU Summit is coming up in a month, when the plans for advancing the European path of current candidates could move forward, when candidates could make progress, and when the process might truly begin moving toward what the European Union sets as its goal, which is enlargement”, Dencic said.

He added that one of Wadephul’s messages to the region is that at this moment it is not enough to merely initiate reforms, but that they must also be implemented.

“An even more important message, including for Serbia, is that at this moment it is not enough to simply start reforms. All reforms must be implemented, and everything that EU member states and the EU leadership point out must indeed be carried out fully. No matter how open Brussels may currently be to enlargement, the process remains merit-based, and that is what will be evaluated both when opening clusters and when assessing the progress of each candidate on the European path”, our interlocutor emphasized.

Commenting on this morning’s meeting between Wadephul and Serbian Foreign Minister Marko Djuric, during which Djuric mentioned the position of Serbs in Kosovo, Dencic noted that there were both points of agreement and areas of divergence.

“Minister Wadephul said at the press conference with Minister Djuric that the two of them agreed on numerous issues, but that there were certain topics where there was not a high degree of agreement. We can only assume this refers to the approach to the status of Kosovo and Metohija, the process of normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina, and certainly also the alignment with the European Union’s foreign and security policy”, Dencic stated.

He stressed that the normalization process must continue, and that this is clear both from Germany’s standpoint and from the standpoint of other EU member states.

“The dialogue must continue, or perhaps better said at this moment, it must be renewed, but in no way is the pressure placed solely on Belgrade. In Pristina there has been no government for eight months, and the functioning of institutions is practically completely blocked. This is precisely what EU officials and the European Union as a whole are insisting upon. They say the government must be formed, that new rounds of dialogue with Belgrade must begin, and at a high political level, so that certain issues can be resolved. It is certain that both Germany and other EU member states will insist on the implementation of everything that has so far been signed and agreed”, our interlocutor noted.

Dencic emphasized that recent statements from EU officials show that they are increasingly focusing on what was agreed several years ago, namely the Ohrid agreement, when the process of normalization was in some way formally launched.

“One should not forget the Brussels Agreement either, within which one of the main provisions, from Belgrade’s perspective, is the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. We can see that Serbia has implemented everything required of it, or most things, while Pristina has not fulfilled what is often referred to as its single obligation. That will most likely be a topic as well. In short, during Wadephul’s visit to Kosovo, efforts will certainly be made to accelerate the formation of new institutions in Pristina, because without that, it will not be possible to continue the dialogue, nor will the institutions in Kosovo and Metohija be able to function. This is certainly important for Serbs in the province, given that they also depend on many matters under the jurisdiction of the government in Pristina, which at this moment cannot be carried out”, Dencic concluded.