Expert: Meeting of Vucic and Kurti a Positive Signal

Daniel Server

U.S. professor Danel Serwer has stated that the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti is „a positive signal“, adding that not much should have been expected from their first encounter.

„The fact that it has happened is commendable, but the fact that they need to talk about each other in negative terms is not good. This isn’t contributing to an outcome and they will have to change it,” Serwer said in a June 16 interview with Voice of America.

Serwer, who is a professor at John Hopkins University and an expert on the Balkans, also said that Vucic had clearly demonstrated he is not ready to undertake bold steps such as recognizing Kosovo’s independence before the next presidential elections in Serbia.

“I don’t expect Belgrade to govern Kosovo ever again. That is out of the question, but I think they can become friendly countries, which I hope for. It is purposeless for them to clash diplomatically or militarily,” Serwer said.

Speaking about certain European Union member-states being against the opening of new chapters in the EU accession negotiations with Serbia, the expert added that this shows that Serbia is not following through on its European goals.

 “[Serbia] is sliding in the direction of autocracy, as there is ever fewer free media, civic freedoms and commitment to the dialogue with Kosovo,” Serwer said, adding that Serbia is meddling in internal affairs of Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina in a negative context.