Muhaxhiri: Harsh words by Sarrazin, it would be tragic for Kosovo to be left out of the Berlin Process

Analyst Artan Muhaxhiri says that the warning from Manuel Sarrazin, the German Government's Envoy for the Western Balkans, that Kosovo could be excluded from the agreement on a common regional market because Prime Minister Albin Kurti is not ready to make certain compromises, must be treated as an ultimatum. He stressed that the Kosovo Government must urgently address this issue, as it would be tragic if Kosovo were left out of the Berlin Process.

Sarrazin, during his visit to Pristina last week, stated that the idea is for Kosovo to once again allow the import of goods from Serbia and to be represented within CEFTA with an asterisk instead of through UNMIK, which is currently the case. However, Prime Minister Kurti's response to this was negative.

According to Muhaxhiri, Sarrazin has shown himself as an ally of Kosovo and has been very friendly and positive toward Kosovo institutions and leaders. For this reason, his words must be treated as an ultimatum, as they came after a lengthy period of non-public discussions.

"If such harsh words are coming from a politician like Sarrazin, then the Kosovo Government must urgently address them, as they signal that the work on the ground regarding the European integration process is narrowing and that there is a real risk that Kosovo could be bypassed in major projects. If this were to happen with the Berlin Process, it would be tragic, as it is absolutely the best way for Kosovo to progress in European integration. If this process is halted, it would be the worst possible news for Kosovo and would have significant negative consequences, even in the future, because processes like this have inertia, and if they are disrupted, it would take a lot of energy to regain the current position. This is completely unnecessary," Muhaxhiri told Kosovo Online.

He believes that Prime Minister Kurti is obliged to find a diplomatic way to resolve this issue because if what Sarrazin warns about happens, Kosovo will face worsening relations with allies who make important decisions in the EU and regarding European integration processes.

Muhaxhiri also believes that statements like Sarrazin's surely create great pressure on Kurti both externally and internally, but it is solely up to Kurti whether he will yield.

"Public opinion in Kosovo has debated these ultimatums a lot, but everything depends on Prime Minister Kurti, on his political agenda, political identity, and ideology, and on how willing he is to make compromises. I think it is very wrong for Prime Minister Kurti to see compromises as absolutely negative things. When you are in politics and the leader of a country, you have to make compromises to gain advantages in other areas. If harsh words are directed at Prime Minister Kurti from a friendly politician like Sarrazin, then one can only imagine what other, less friendly politicians think or discuss. That is why I believe this is the last opportunity for Prime Minister Kurti to reconsider his policy and approach because, with this approach, he will face increasingly bigger problems in the future," Muhaxhiri emphasized.