Maliqi: Kurti should listen to Hovenier for mayors in the north to assume a technical role

Analyst Shkelzen Maliqi believes that the authorities in Pristina should heed the advice of the US Ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, for the newly elected mayors in the north to assume only a technical role and not a political one.

However, Maliqi, speaking to Kosovo Online, says he is unsure whether Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti has heard and understood the message of the American diplomat correctly.

Regarding the resumption of dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, which is evidently stalled once again, Maliqi points out that after the meetings in Ohrid, where the annex for implementing the Brussels agreement from February was agreed upon, the diplomatic offensive of international mediators has somewhat subsided.

"The diplomatic offensive has waned after Ohrid, and as far as we can see, there are no sanctions for the delays in fulfilling the obligations of the agreement. If there is no pressure, Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti will be even more encouraged to continue with obstruction. I think they complement each other perfectly in that regard," Maliqi says.

He also adds that the international community's attention and their political and diplomatic efforts are currently focused on Ukraine, whether there will be any developments, and what kind of outcome will occur there.

"On the other hand, the clock is ticking on the American determination to make significant progress in the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, as the US presidential campaign will soon begin, and the focus will be on that," Maliqi notes.