Kosovo Premier Says Public Agreement on Carrying Out Deal Reached

Albin Kurti (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

Kosovo Premier Albin Kurti said in Ohrid on March 18 that, just like on Feb. 27, Serbia had avoided signing an annex on the execution of a recent deal, but that there was public agreement on the annex for implementing the European proposal and the deal for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

"We have reached public consensus on the annex to guide the implementation of the core deal. The other side, like at the last meeting, in Brussels on Feb. 27, is dodging signing, and that now includes the annex. It is up to the EU to find a mechanism to make the status of this agreement legally and internationally binding," Kurti said.

After an EU-mediated meeting with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, Kurti told reporters that there was a passage about the adequate level of self-governance for non-majority communities. We will agree with everyone and employ the highest standards so that Serbs in Kosovo have no issues or discrimination, not forgetting that the Ahtisaari proposal created an enormous space and possibility for them to enjoy their rights and satisfy their needs," Kurti said.

He said the core agreement constituted de facto mutual recognition.