Mijacic: There is progress in the negotiations on the CSM, with the precondition being elections in the north

Coordinator of the Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union for Chapter 35, Dragisa Mijacic, believes that there is progress in the negotiations regarding the CSM, adding that this can be best observed in the tone of Albin Kurti's statements, who has expressed positive views on the document on the table several times.

Mijacic explains to Kosovo Online that not much is known about the CSM document, but last week, a draft of this agreement appeared in Albanian media, which he believes is likely authentic.

"Considering and reading that document, we see that Serbia doesn't have many arguments not to accept it because it was precisely done in accordance with what was agreed upon in 2013-2015. Meanwhile, the Pristina side will certainly seek the official acceptance of the agreement reached earlier this year in Brussels, and later with an annex in Ohrid. So, we can expect both sides to commit further very soon to implementing all provisions from Brussels and Ohrid. Also, I hope that we will soon see the adoption of the CSM Statute version both in Belgrade and in Pristina", Mijacic says. 

He adds that yesterday's negotiations in Brussels aim to prepare a new round of talks between Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic, where the finalization of all provisions to which both sides have committed would take place.

"The negotiation process on key principles is already completed. The meetings we witnessed yesterday aim to prepare a new round of talks between Kurti and Vucic, where the finalization of all provisions to which both sides have committed would take place. The biggest problem for Pristina and Belgrade is the communication of accepting the provisions, so after the dialogue, each side comes out and expresses their views, firmly defending what they stand for. However, the dialogue process is progressing, and it will result in what Kurti and Vucic have committed to", Mijacic emphasized.

Mijacic emphasizes that the European Council meeting is crucial for both Kosovo and Serbia because it will decide on the further path to the EU.

"There is a very important meeting, the European Council meeting on December 14-15, and at the European Council, Borrell will report to the EU heads of government and state on the results of the dialogue. Based on that, they will decide whether and how Serbia and Kosovo will progress towards the EU. This is a very important meeting at this time of the year, and I believe that if there are any results, they will be before that meeting, and the implementation of the agreement will wait for the New Year and the months after January", he explained.

He adds that attempts to form the CSM will not bear fruit unless there are extraordinary elections in the four Serbian municipalities in northern Kosovo.

"I honestly think that there will be no concrete results regarding the CSM Statute unless extraordinary elections are held. That is a part of such negotiations. We know that a mistake was made in Ohrid, where negotiations were not about elections but about principles for implementing the agreement. When the extraordinary elections came, the Serbian community, since there was no concrete proposal, did not participate in the elections. So now, if extraordinary elections are not organized in northern Kosovo, I fear that all these attempts to form the CSM will not bear fruit. Hence, what Bislimi and Lajcak are negotiating now is a sequential roadmap that determines the obligations of both sides in parallel over the next six months. Serbia will do something, and Kosovo will do something; the first step is expected to be the adoption of the CSM draft or submission to the Constitutional Court. Then Serbia will make a concession for that step, and the adoption of the statute and extraordinary elections are expected. In the next six to nine months, I expect that all of this can be organized", Mijacic concluded.