Analysts in Pristina: The Ball Is in Kurti’s Court

Pristina (BETAPHOTO/ANDRIJA IGIC)

In the evening on Jan. 23, political analysts in Pristina said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had indicated he would accept the French-German proposal for Kosovo, adding that the ball was in Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti’s court, who would find it difficult to reject it.

Analyst Ili Hoxha told TV Dukagjini that if Vucic accepted the French-German proposal, Kurti would find it difficult to reject to form an Association/Community of Serb Municipalities. “It will be very difficult for Kurti to reject to form the Association/Community. In order to overcome this situation, there should be a dialogue with political stakeholders in Kosovo or another option is to hold new parliamentary elections,” Hoxha said.

On the other hand, analyst Astrit Gashi said that Serbia would endorse any plan which did not include official recognition of Kosovo’s independence. “The ball is in Premier Kurti’s court. Kurti is facing a difficult situation. If he fails to convince the mediators of the rightness of his actions, it would be considered as disturbing the peace. With this act, Serbia has changed the game,” Gashi noted.

A former Kosovo minister Dardan Gashi said that Vucic had been preparing the ground for acceptance of the French-German proposal. “What Vucic has done is an interesting act of Serbia which has pushed Kurti in a difficult situation,” he said. Gashi added that if Serbia signed the document based on this plan, five EU countries would no longer have the reason for not recognizing Kosovo. “We can be interpreting it as we like, but this agreement also implies recognition,” Gashi stressed.

Analyst Dibran Hoxha said that Kosovo was looking at difficult days after Serbia’s latest move. “If we form the Association/Community while not getting an official recognition of Serbia, then what we have gained? What guarantees do we have that, if we accept to form the Association/Community there will be a final agreement,” Hoxha noted.

Analyst Ismail Tasholli said that Kosovo and Serbia had already endorsed the French-German proposal. “In principle, the two leaders have already accepted the French-German plan. But, this plan also contains many unknowns. Firstly, it was referred to as a European plan. Before, it was referred to also as an American plan. Kurti and the Association/Community are in a one-way street. He will be hurt whether he accepts it or not. If he signs, he will be held accountable. If he again refuses to sign it, political problems will emerge,” Tasholli noted.