Surlic: The EU is not giving up on the CSM, formation impossible without pressure on Kurti

Stefan Surlic, assistant professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Belgrade, told Kosovo Online that the messages of former EU Ambassador to Kosovo Aivo Orav about “practical solutions through dialogue” do not represent a substantive change in Brussels’ approach, but rather a signal of continuity in EU policy toward the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Surlic believes that such a statement is part of Orav’s “exit strategy”, but also a message from the European Union itself.

“I think that was his exit strategy, given that he no longer serves as ambassador, and in a kind of farewell message to say that a solution must be found, but it should certainly be read between the lines that this is also a message from the European Union that they are not giving up on the Community of Serb Municipalities, and that it must be established sooner or later,” Surlic said.

He points out that this position is also visible at the international level.

“We see that Germany and other key EU countries have said that there will be no membership for Pristina in the Council of Europe without the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities. They maintain that position, and we do not see any progress or greater international recognition of Kosovo’s independence. In that sense, if it does not go to the Constitutional Court, there is a high probability that one of the governments, since the statute is actually adopted through a government decree, will adopt that decree without a constitutional review,” he stated.

He adds that he currently does not see readiness from the authorities in Pristina to initiate that issue.

“That depends on the level of international pressure. It is certain that Albin Kurti’s government will not do it voluntarily. At this moment, I do not see any willingness from the government in Pristina, led by Albin Kurti, to establish the Community of Serb Municipalities. They are not even obliged to send that statute. That was an excuse during the dialogue that it must be sent for review to the Constitutional Court in Pristina. They insisted on that in the documents in Brussels, but it is not mandatory,” he said.

As he emphasizes, any progress is possible only with stronger international engagement.

“If negotiations move in a different direction, if international pressure is strong, a government decree that would not go through constitutional review would be sufficient, provided that no other political actor demands it, to adopt the statute of the Community of Serb Municipalities and initiate its formation,” he noted.

He states that the strategy of the Kosovo prime minister is clear, which is to first integrate all institutions that are part of Serbia’s system.

“He said this already in his first mandate, and we see that he is sticking to it in his third mandate, which is to first integrate all institutions that are part of Serbia’s system and exist in Kosovo into the Kosovo system, that is, under the institutions of Pristina,” he said.

He explains that Kurti’s goal is to reduce to a minimum any influence of Belgrade over existing institutions, and then offer a type of Community of Serb Municipalities that has no executive powers and is at the level of an association.

“In that sense, I truly do not see the possibility that without international pressure Albin Kurti will, in the foreseeable future, create and approve a functional Community of Serb Municipalities,” Surlic concluded.