Mijacic: Extension for Lajcak due to the implementation of the agreement

Dragisa Mijacic, Coordinator of the Working Group of the National Convention on the EU for Chapter 35, says that regardless of the results Miroslav Lajcak had or did not have as a mediator in the dialogue in the previous period, it is good that he will remain in that position for several months longer than originally planned. He states that during this extension, Lajcak will attempt to encourage the parties to implement the agreement and will also work on crisis management.

"We have seen that crisis management has marked his mandate, that is, resolving some crisis situations of which there are still very many. So it is good that he will stay until around January, February regardless of the results he had or did not have in the previous period," Mijacic told Kosovo Online.

He adds that regarding the dialogue, things are largely determined, that both sides have accepted the Agreement on the Path to Normalization and the Ohrid Annex from last year, and that Belgrade and Pristina are required to work on their implementation.

"Mr. Lajcak or some other envoy is there to facilitate these processes, to listen to the objections of both sides, and to lead towards joint implementation. Considering that a new European Commission is now due to come and that there will be a new High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, it is logical, and it was expected, that Lajcak would remain in that position until the appointment of a new person, if one is appointed at all. There is a possibility that the High Representative will deal with Kosovo issues, although the likelihood of this is small, but let's remember that both Cathy Ashton and Federica Mogherini did this, which means that whoever comes as the new High Representative, he or she, will determine who the new envoy will be and what the new strategy will be in the upcoming period," Mijacic said.