EU envoy Lajcak: CSM agreement must be implemented

The EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue told the Gazetaexpress portal that no reasonable person would even suggest anything like a RS in Kosovo, especially considering the current situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Lajcak said that the narrative of the dialogue should be changed. “Instead of saying what we don’t want we should ask what we want,” he said and added that Kosovo is engaged in the process and has the right to make proposals as does Serbia, both as equals.“We are here to help you with ideas based on European standards and the European model but, at no time will you be forced to sign something that you believe is harmful to your country. You are in the process. You have the right to suggest and refuse and in the end whatever you agree on should be a compromise,” he said.

President Vjosa Osmani said that Kosovo will never accept any model that could turn it into a non-functional state.

Lajcak rejected claims that the dialogue was at a stalemate, adding that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti are strong leaders with strong mandates giving them the support of their people for an agreement. He said that the EU feels that something concrete should be prepared for the third Kurti-Vucic meeting. “We are working on it,” he said.

The EU envoy said that his visit to the region with US State Department official Gabriel Escobar is aimed at showing that the EU-mediated dialogue has US support. He said they want to hear and talk to their partners to move the process forward and discuss topical issues.