Spahiu: Implementation of agreements is a national interest for both Kosovo and Serbia

Political analyst Nexhmedin Spahiu does not believe that Poland's presidency of the EU Council will significantly influence the further course of the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. According to him, the process is already concluded, and both sides are only expected to implement what has been agreed upon. This, he says, is in the national interest of both sides.

"The implementation of what has been agreed upon between Kosovo and Serbia is a national interest for both Kosovo and Serbia, and it must be achieved as soon as possible. The sooner – the better," Spahiu told Kosovo Online.

He believes the negotiations are over and that implementation of the agreements is now the next step.

"The negotiations are finished. What lies ahead is the implementation of what has been agreed upon. The level of autonomy for Serbs in Kosovo is clear, through the Community of Serb-Majority Municipalities. This is defined by the statute proposed by the European Union and accepted by Prime Minister Kurti and President Vucic. Although, for electoral reasons, both Vucic and Kurti sometimes deny it, we have three witnesses – Meloni, Macron, and Scholz – who have stated that they accepted it, so it is a done deal," Spahiu emphasized.

In return, he says, Serbia should tacitly recognize Kosovo.

"In return, there is tacit recognition of Kosovo by Serbia through the opening of permanent diplomatic missions of Kosovo in Belgrade and Serbia in Pristina. This is in Kosovo's national interest because opening such permanent missions implies tacit recognition and paves the way for recognition by the five EU member states that have not yet recognized Kosovo," Spahiu stated.

The failure to implement the agreements, he claims, stems not only from mutual distrust but also from distrust in the EU mediators.

"They think that if one side takes the first step, the other side will exploit it and fail to fulfill its own obligations. The only way out of this situation is simultaneous implementation: the same day the Kosovo flag is raised in Belgrade, the flag of the Community is raised in Serb-majority municipalities. That would be the solution and the realization of what was agreed. Will this be facilitated by EU mediators, Poland as the EU Council President, or perhaps the newly elected US President Trump? If simultaneous implementation is demanded, it will succeed and be realized," Spahiu said with confidence.

When asked whether Poland's recognition of Kosovo, as the EU Council President, will influence the further course of the dialogue, Spahiu emphasized that this has not been a decisive factor in the past.

"It doesn’t matter. It didn’t matter that Slovakia or Spain didn’t recognize Kosovo. The dialogue proceeded regardless, so it won’t matter in the case of Poland either. What the entire European Union demands, both the countries that have recognized Kosovo and those that haven’t, is for an agreement to be reached between Kosovo and Serbia," the analyst concluded.