Sorensen: Missing persons issue cannot be a bargaining chip in the Dialogue

European Union Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Peter Sorensen said that the discovery of human remains near Zubin Potok was, first and foremost, about the families who may finally receive answers after decades of uncertainty, stressing that what mattered to them was continued progress on the issue, not merely a single visit. He also said that the issue of missing persons was a humanitarian obligation and was not, nor could it be, a bargaining chip in the Dialogue, KosovaPress reported.

At the beginning of the month, Pristina's chief negotiator in the Dialogue with Belgrade, Agron Bajrami, said that he had asked the EU to ensure that Serbia fully implemented its obligations under the Declaration on Missing Persons, but Sorensen did not confirm whether he had responded to the letter.

"The discovery of human remains in Zubin Potok concerns, first and foremost, the families who may finally receive an answer after decades of uncertainty and not knowing. We are closely following the excavation process and the arrests connected with it. I have made it clear to everyone that the pace must be accelerated and that relevant information must be exchanged without delay. I raise this issue in Pristina and Belgrade whenever I have the opportunity," Sorensen said in a written interview with KosovaPress.

He said that for the families, "what matters is not just one visit, but continuous progress."

"That is what the normalization Dialogue owes to those who are still waiting," Sorensen added.

He also said that, because of its humanitarian importance, the issue of missing persons had been a priority since he assumed office.

"It is not, and cannot be, a bargaining chip in the Dialogue. It is a humanitarian obligation, and I assess it according to only one criterion: whether families are finally getting answers. The power to provide those answers lies with the parties. We stand ready to facilitate that process," Sorensen said.

He recalled the obligations undertaken by the parties through the Declaration on Missing Persons, which, he said, was clear: both sides had committed themselves to cooperating in identifying the locations of burial sites and to exchanging all relevant information—including confidential material—necessary to locate and identify persons who went missing between 1998 and 2000.

He said that the EU expected those obligations to be fully implemented.

"The Joint Commission was established in January this year and met for the first time in Brussels in April. We are ready to organize the next meeting as soon as the parties are ready," Sorensen added.

According to him, the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue is often assessed through dates, photographs, and media headlines, but it should be viewed differently.

"I assess it according to only one criterion: whether it delivers results for the people it is meant to serve. That standard applies across the board—from the issue of missing persons to the Ohrid Agreement and the pace of the Dialogue itself," Sorensen said.

He also stated that both sides were obliged to implement the Ohrid Agreement, even though Albin Kurti and Aleksandar Vucic had not signed it.

"Let me be precise on one point, because it is often misunderstood: the 2023 Ohrid Agreement is legally binding under international law, with or without signatures. Consent to be bound by an agreement does not necessarily require a signature—it can also be expressed in other ways, and that is precisely what happened in this case," Sorensen said.

He added that both sides had agreed to the text in Ohrid and had raised no objection when the EU established how their consent would be recorded.

He also recalled that "the High Representative confirmed in writing the binding nature of the Agreement on March 18, 2023, and that has been the EU's position ever since."

At the same time, he acknowledged that "its implementation is still not where it should be" and said that he had stated this publicly and repeatedly to both Belgrade and Pristina, as well as to the European Commission and EU member states.

"What is missing is not signatures, but implementation. That is where the energy should be focused," Sorensen wrote, adding that he had listened to Kosovo's concerns and considered ways of further reinforcing the agreement, but that this should serve "as an incentive for implementation, not as a substitute for it."

Asked whether a date had been set for the next meeting between Vucic and Kurti within the Dialogue, he replied that the EU High Representative was ready to convene it "when both leaders are ready to achieve concrete results."

"It is neither a reward nor a photo opportunity. It is convened when it can help deliver results, and the High Representative is ready to convene it when both leaders are prepared to achieve concrete results," Sorensen said.

Asked whether the EU had a deadline or target date for concluding the Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, he said there was no such deadline and that he also had no date to announce for the next meeting of the chief negotiators.

"Preparations are continuing, and I am in regular contact with both delegations to determine when a meeting can deliver results. Nor will I set a deadline for concluding the Dialogue as a whole. What matters is that both sides implement what they have already agreed. Progress, not the calendar, is my benchmark," Sorensen said.

He recalled that a high-level meeting served to ensure political engagement in the normalization process, which was why "the absence of the prime minister would not advance the process of ensuring accountability," referring to Kurti's position that one of his conditions for participating in a high-level meeting was the extradition of Milan Radoicic.

"Accountability for the events in Banjska is essential. The EU's call has been clear and consistent, and we repeat it in every communication with the Serbian authorities: we expect Belgrade to arrest and bring to justice the perpetrators of the 2023 attack," Sorensen added.