Mustafa: Return the focus to mutual recognition, not to establishing the mayors in the municipalities in the north

Former Kosovo Prime Minister Isa Mustafa said that the main goal of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue was to achieve mutual recognition, but under the leadership of Albin Kurti, that dialogue had turned into a crisis management process, which led to internal political calculations on both sides.

"The main goal of the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia is to resolve disputes in order to achieve mutual recognition. With this government, the dialogue has moved to another track, to crisis management, which both sides use for internal political use," Mustafa told Gazeta Express.

He stated that the Kosovo Government had initially undertaken populist actions to expand sovereignty, which they had sold to "ignorant citizens", but then had retreated after warnings and sanctions from the international community.

Such a policy is completely wrong for Kosovo, beyond all strategic interests, Mustafa believes.

Regarding the statement of Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi about the Ohrid Agreement, Mustafa says that, with the recognition that the Government has given up formal recognition and with the lack of will for implementation that agreement is more difficult and has unpredictable consequences compared to the 2013 agreement.

He also stated that from a political agreement aimed at extending sovereignty, mutual recognition, membership, and international recognition, it had turned into an agreement for the "status quo".

He also adds that the delays in the dialogue process are the least appropriate for Kosovo, but in favor of Serbia, so that, as he says, "the crimes of the last war are put into oblivion."

"Kosovo would have to return the focus of the dialogue to mutual recognition as soon as possible and give up the idea of establishing mayors in 'fortresses' in municipalities, where no citizen goes to seek services," Mustafa concluded.