Tahiri: No Talks Until Agreements Implemented

In a press conference on Sunday, Kosovo Deputy Prime Minister Edita Tahiri told reporters that Pristina implemented recommendations that were agreed to with Belgrade during a dialogue facilitated by Brussels. The Serbian government, however, has not begun to enact the negotiated measures.

“As the [Kosovo] government, we made it clear that without the implementation of the agreements reached, this dialogue would not continue,

"Bearing in mind the importance of the implementation of the deals, I call upon the EU to increase its engagement and to pressure Serbia to uphold its end of the deal, especially concerning the Integrated Border Management,” Tahiri told reporters.

“The agreements remain far from being implemented. In some areas, less than 1 per cent [has been executed],” she added.

Serbia and Kosovo began EU-mediated talks in Brussels in March 2011, three years after Kosovo declared independence from Serbia, which Belgrade refuses to recognise.

The negotiations were put on hold following the May general elections in Serbia, and were scheduled to continue after the formation of the new government.

Under Brussels guidance, the dialogue began with negotiations concerning the movement of citizens, trade policies, the regional representation of Kosovo, and border management.

After eight rounds of negotiations, the two sides reached deals in several areas, but the agreements were not signed by either party.

There is wide speculation that if a new round of negotiations begin, they will address problems pertaining to the north of Kosovo, which has not been under control of the Pristina government since the end of the war in 1999.

Media in Pristina and Belgrade report that the north of Kosovo may be offered special status or autonomy, but Kosovo’s government publicly rejected this option.

Edita Tahiri insists that the gravity of the issue demands wider consensus in Kosovo before it can be addressed at the negotiating table.

Belgrade indicated that it intends to have government officials with greater political authority, such as the Prime Minister or the President, participate in future negotiations instead of sending envoys, which the government has done thus far.

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, who has led the Pristina delegation since the dialogue began, has refused to disclose whether she would remain in charge of future negotiations.