Muhaxhiri: Sorensen expects Belgrade and Pristina to remove obstacles to dialogue progress as soon as possible

Political analyst Artan Muhaxhiri believes that after visiting Pristina and Belgrade, EU Representative for Dialogue Peter Sorensen is unlikely to say anything that hasn’t already been heard. He expects Sorensen’s messages in the coming period to focus on the need to respect the Brussels and Ohrid agreements from two years ago and to move forward.

“Sorensen cannot differ much from his predecessor Miroslav Lajcak because the EU operates based on long-term agendas. He will emphasize the need to remove obstacles as soon as possible and stress that both Belgrade and Pristina must be more cooperative in the dialogue. Both Kosovo and Serbia have options: if they remain in the status quo, they will not progress in their European agendas. However, if they choose to cooperate and adopt a more realistic approach, they will benefit,” Muhaxhiri states.

He adds that the demands placed on both sides are very clear since the EU’s expectations are well known, and these demands will continue to be reiterated until the leaderships in Belgrade and Pristina become more cooperative and progressive.

“Everything depends on the leaderships of Kosovo and Serbia, their willingness and plans. However, all key international actors – the United States, Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom – have made it clear that neither Kosovo nor Serbia can make positive progress toward EU accession until the dialogue is concluded. Therefore, the dialogue is the most crucial requirement that must be fulfilled for both Kosovo and Serbia to have hope of one day joining the European Union,” Muhaxhiri concludes.