Hovenier: Kosovo fails to fulfill obligations to minorities – CSM agreed in 2013 and confirmed in 2023

Former US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, stated that he would advise the new EU Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Peter Sorensen, not to negotiate new commitments with Belgrade and Pristina until the old ones are fulfilled, reminding that the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities was agreed upon back in 2013, which was, as he said, reaffirmed by the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Annex in 2023, Reporteri reported.

Hovenier described the 2023 Brussels Agreement as a “serious document” and a path toward resolving the dispute between the parties, emphasizing that both Serbia and Kosovo must first fulfill their obligations before the dialogue process can continue.

“Kosovo committed to this in 2013. That obligation has not been revoked and still stands. Serbia also has obligations – things it must do and implement. The commitment regarding the Community was strongly reiterated in the 2023 Basic Agreement and its Implementation Annex. I personally believe it must be fulfilled. If I were to advise Peter Sorensen and the European Union, I would say that the best way forward is to avoid negotiating new commitments now because what was achieved in 2023 is already an impressive package. The only thing missing is implementation. Neither Kosovo nor Serbia has seriously undertaken their obligations,” Hovenier said at the Atlantic Council.

Hovenier believes that if both sides fulfill their obligations, the course and dynamics of the dialogue will change in favor of both Serbia and Kosovo.

The American diplomat also pointed out that Kosovo has stalled in fulfilling its commitments toward minorities, stressing that US support for Kosovo’s independence was given in the context of special protections for minorities, particularly the Serbian minority.

“We are stuck on very difficult and sensitive issues regarding how to best fulfill the promises made and maintain the vision of a country based on our support for its independence – one that is multiethnic, with special protections for non-majority communities, particularly for the Serbian community given the difficult history,” Hovenier emphasized.

He noted that Pristina must fulfill its obligations in accordance with Kosovo’s laws and Constitution.

“So we are stuck on issues related to the best way to implement constitutional protections for minority communities. We are also stuck on how Serbia can best exercise its rights under the Ahtisaari Plan – to provide support for the Serbian community in Kosovo – but in a way that aligns with Kosovo’s laws and Constitution,” Hovenier concluded.