Milivojevic: European sanctions against Kurti without serious effect; Serb resistance remains crucial

Former diplomat Zoran Milivojevic believes that the proposed list of measures by the European Commission against the authorities in Pristina will not have a significant impact on Prime Minister Albin Kurti. According to him, the most that could harm him is the mobilization of weak opposition, Sputnik reports.

Milivojevic emphasizes that the announced sanctions on Pristina are diplomatic and political measures that cannot produce a serious effect, because, as he states that Kurti will not abandon his strategy to gain control over northern Kosovo through the use of force.

"Furthermore, in his conversation with EC President Ursula von der Leyen, Kurti stated that he would gradually withdraw the police depending on the situation on the ground. The proposed measures could lead to internal movements in Kosovo and mobilize the opposition to weaken Kurti, who has a majority in the Albanian electorate," Milivojevic says.

He adds that the fact that Kurti will not have contacts with European officials or that the issue of stabilization and association will slow down has no influence on him.

"Kurti is not interested in that, and short-term financial sanctions cannot produce any significant effects. Only political will can influence Kurti, the decision to put KFOR into full function, to remove all police and other forces that have no place in Kosovo and Metohija, and to establish complete security control, which is within his jurisdiction," Milivojevic says.

He believes that mayors from municipalities in the north must withdraw in order to completely end that story and that EULEX should prevent repression against Serbs, which could bring about a kind of stabilization in northern Kosovo and Serbian enclaves in the south.

"Serbs will certainly not give up resistance; they will insist on the CSM because they have no other guarantees, and therefore, participating in elections is not realistic without the formation of the CSM," Milivojevic emphasizes.

According to him, it should also be noted that Belgrade does not control Serbs in Kosovo and has no intention of conditioning their behavior.

"Serbs will not give up resistance, and Belgrade will not abandon its support to Serbs, and that should be taken into account. Belgrade will not give up the CSM, which must be a precondition and guarantee for their survival in political terms," Milivojevic concluded.