Wulffen: Unacceptable that Kurti refuses to implement the agreement on the CSM; the EU needs to react more firmly

German diplomat and former coordinator for civil administration in Kosovo, Bernd Wulffen, believes that the EU should persist in ensuring that all the obligations agreed upon by Belgrade and Pristina are implemented. He emphasizes that it is very important for the Serbian side to establish the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, as a part of the agreement, which Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti persistently refuses to do.

Wulffen, who was the first coordinator for civil administration in Kosovo in the post-war period from 1999 to 2000, told Deutsche Welle that during his stay in Kosovo, he had seen that most Serbs in enclaves had felt threatened.

"There were repeated attacks, including the burning of monasteries and houses. They felt threatened, but no one told us that they wanted to emigrate. We always emphasized that we see Kosovo as a whole, including the Serbian enclaves that were in a difficult situation," Wulffen said.

He believes that territorial exchanges are not a solution to the Kosovo-Serbia dispute, as such a decision, as he warns, would trigger a chain reaction and jeopardize the political stability of the Western Balkans.

"I am not strictly against it, but I see the dangers associated with that issue. Territorial changes could set off a chain reaction, involving other areas in conflict, which could jeopardize the political stability of the Western Balkans. That's why I advise abandoning that idea," Wulffen emphasized.

He emphasizes that the solution could lie in implementing the obligations agreed upon in the agreements, but Kurti, as he assesses, refuses to implement the CSM.

"I think it's important to stick to what was agreed. There is an agreement on the Community of Serb-majority Municipalities, and Kurti does not adhere to it. That is unacceptable. The European Union should be firm and insist on that agreement. It is an important symbol for the Serbs," he said.

Regarding Russia's role in Kosovo in the past, Wulffen says that while he was in Kosovo, the president of Russia was Boris Yeltsin, who had a good relationship with then-German Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

The Russians, he notes, were willing to negotiate, although they did not always find strong support in Moscow.

"There were also hawks who did not support the mediating and reconciliatory role that Russia had at the time. For example, the takeover of the airport in Pristina was probably a concession to these hawks who insisted on a stronger positioning of Russian interests in Kosovo," the diplomat recalls.

Commenting on the current situation in Kosovo and the stagnation in the dialogue process, Wulffen believes that the EU would have a greater influence in the Balkans if there were a reduction in the region's favor toward Russia.

Priority, as he emphasizes, should be the integration of Serbia and Kosovo into the EU to reconcile the parties and turn towards Western influence.

"I think we have to be patient and continue to be present in the Western Balkans. The Ukrainian war has somewhat hindered the process, but if Putin recedes into the background for some politicians in the Balkans, such as Vucic, it opens up space for the European Union. I hope that relations between the Serbs and the Albanians will improve. We must focus thoroughly on trying to integrate Serbia and Kosovo into the structures of the European Union. Also, we must not forget Russia's traditional influence on Serbia. Putin's victory in relation to Ukraine can have serious consequences and strengthen irreconcilable forces in Serbia," he assesses.

As he concludes, if the majority of people in Serbia and Kosovo turn towards the EU, "then we have taken a significant step".