Stosic: Lajcak's visit is a desperate attempt by the EU to show results on the ground

Program Manager at the Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC), Slobodan Stosic, says for Kosovo Online that the visits of the EU Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, are a desperate move by the EU to demonstrate some results on the ground regarding the negotiations.

"As reported, his mandate will be extended until January, and I think the purpose of these visits is to achieve some result, any result, so that he can conclude his mission regarding the negotiations and present it as a success. Whether there will be a new roadmap or a new agreement, which in the end will not be honored, remains to be seen. I think these are, conditionally speaking, desperate moves by the European Union to show some results on the ground," Stosic said.

When asked if Lajcak's visit could have any effect, considering that the formation of the new European Parliament is currently underway, he emphasized that the timing was delicate.

"I really don't believe that these visits will bring anything on the ground because he is already preparing for a new position, and the situation in the European Parliament is turbulent. It's not the time to expect that his visits or mediation in the dialogue will bear fruit. In this regard, I would add that we still don't have any final agreement regarding the dinar after seven or eight meetings. Nothing concrete has been agreed upon; the dinar is banned, the Postal Savings Bank is closed. Negotiations have been conducted without any sustainable agreement. If this was an urgent issue to be resolved as it affects the lives of people in Kosovo, and it hasn't been resolved after so many meetings, I doubt that this last meeting will bring anything new," Stosic said.

In his opinion, the fact that Kosovo's President and Prime Minister, Vjosa Osmani and Albin Kurti, did not meet with Lajcak was primarily aimed at the domestic public.

"Osmani and Kurti wanted to show political strength, signaling that they did not need to be present and that they had a person, namely Bislimi, who would work with Lajcak. This is aimed at the Kosovo public as a way to gain some political points for potential parliamentary elections in Kosovo," our interlocutor concluded.