Vucic, Kurti to Discuss EU Plan in Brussels

Brussels (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti will be continuing the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue mediated by the European Union in Brussels in the afternoon of Feb. 27. The meeting’s main focus will be the EU’s proposal for normalizing relations between the two sides, also known as the Franco-German plan.

Brussels officials acquainted with the details of the talks have told the press that both the EU and U.S. expect Vucic and Kurti to accept the plan as a legally-binding starting point for the full normalization of relations and, within the next few months, to begin developing avenues for its implementation. All of this should take place concurrently with the mandatory formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities.

Belgrade has spent the last several months insisting that Pristina immediately commence forming the Community, as was stipulated by the Brussels Agreements of 2013 and 2015. On the other hand, Kurti has been adamant that the “full normalization” of relations requires mutual recognition and reciprocity between Kosovo and Serbia proper.

Prior to the sit-down, Vucic and Kurti were each presented with a letter jointly penned by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. While Vucic’s office did not divulge the content of his letter, Pristina has announced that the message the three EU leaders sent to Kurti expressed their belief that accepting and implementing the EU’s proposal is of fundamental importance to the overall wellbeing of the citizens and to the peace and prosperity of the entire region – as well as to Kosovo’s European future.

Over the weekend of Feb. 25 and 26, both Vucic and Kurti spoke with United States Department of State Counselor Derek Chollet, who conveyed the U.S.’s support to the negotiations – which the U.S. sees as proof of Kosovo’s and Serbia’s dedication to the EU proposal – and communicated the expectation for said talks to prove productive. Additionally, Kurti was informed that “it is now time to discuss a Community of municipalities with a Serb majority.”