Mijacic: The CSM establishment must be a prerequisite for any agreement with Pristina

The Franco-German plan for an agreement on the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo can be a framework for negotiations, but only when both parties sign it, and for Serbia the main condition for that is the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, the coordinator of the Working Group of the National Convention of the European Union stated today for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Dragisa Mijacic, RTV reports.

He pointed out for Tanjug that this plan can be a new negotiating framework, but not at this moment, but at some other time, when Belgrade and Pristina sign it.

He adds that the document is not a surprise and represents, in a sense, the "Brussels Agreement 2".

"Everything that was not fully negotiated in 2013 and 2015 is included in this plan, but it does not include the implicit recognition of Kosovo by Serbia, which tells us that it is not a plan about the final normalization of relations, but should resolve the issues that are now on the agenda, even in the next 10 years, until the time comes for Serbia and Kosovo to join the EU," said Mijiacic.

He emphasized that the basic request of Belgrade is the formation of the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities.

"This is the best and perhaps the last moment for it to be done, so this agreement cannot be signed until it is completed, and without that there will be no return of Serbs to Kosovo institutions," he said.

He noted that the chronology of future events in connection with the negotiations is such that the first step is the formation of the CSM, then the return of the Serbs to the Pristina institutions and only then the signing of the agreement.

"That is expected not before the end of this year or the beginning of the next, but of course if the Kosovo side does not agree with the formation of the CSM, bearing in mind how much it opposed it, then maybe that process will be postponed indefinitely, until the basic condition is met", emphasized Mijacic.

He added that there is a big struggle for the formation of the CS’, which he sees more as a struggle of the American administration.

"Belgrade is kind of passive in that sense, because it thinks that we negotiated everything in 2013 and 2015, and the management team created the statute in 2018, so Serbia wants that model to be implemented," Mijacic says.

In this sense, he underlined the statements of American officials, which were also praised by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Monday.

"The Americans are trying to work with different social actors on the formation of the CSM, which will take into account the real needs on the ground," he said.

He added that it is also good that the formation of the CSM is a condition for Pristina to join European institutions, such as the Council of Europe, but also that both parties must be satisfied in the upcoming negotiation process, so that the agreement is mutually accepted.