The Bled Strategic Forum is currently underway in Slovenia, attended by leaders from the Western Balkans. During a panel yesterday, an argument broke out between the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, and her Kosovo counterpart, Albin Kurti. When Kurti described Kosovo as independent, asking for mutual recognition throughout the region, including with Serbia, Brnabic said in response that „there are not two countries, but one country.”
Ahead of the Bled Strategic Forum, the Prime Minister of Slovenia, Robert Golob, organized a dinner for prime ministers from the Western Balkans region.
The prime ministers participated in a panel yesterday where they discussed the region’s path toward the EU, challenges they faced, as well as the dialogue process between Belgrade and Pristina.
The Kosovo PM said that one of the challenges that Kosovo faces on its path to the European Union is the lack of recognition from five member states.
Kurti added that Pristina is „working“ with them diplomatically and bilaterally, including in Brussels.
„The atmosphere with these countries is better than before. There are some small concrete steps and we hope that they will change their stance and in this way, join the majority of EU countries that do recognize us,“ said Kurti.
He noted that he is striving to persuade „skeptical“ countries to recognize Kosovo by pointing out democratic and economic progress.
„A double success story and genocide“
He reiterated that Kosovo is a „double success story“, while once again accusing Serbia of genocide.
„It’s a success story of NATO’s intervention in 1999 to stop the genocide of Milosevic’s Yugoslavia and Serbia at that time, and it’s a success story of democracy and economy going hand in hand,“ Kurti said, boasting of the reports of international organizations about the rule of law, fight against corruption, political liberties, and citizens’ rights.
Kurti expressed optimism regarding the future, and looks forward to better cooperation, and Kosovo becoming a member of the European Union.
In his words, it is important to reach an agreement on values in this regard, including when it comes to common security and foreign policy.
Speaking of the region of the Western Balkans, Kurti says that everyone must recognize each other.
„De facto and de jure recognitions are divided in the Balkans. You have de facto recognition somewhere without de jure and somewhere else de jure without de facto. This has to be settled. I think it’s doable,“ said Kurti.
At the same time, he reiterated that it is necessary to establish protection for minority communities in the entire region.
The Kosovo PM also addressed the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and the ongoing crisis, stating that it is time to de-escalate the situation.
According to him, the situation in the North of Kosovo has improved, noting that there have been no violent protests or incidents for two months.
He also reminded that the presence of police forces in municipal buildings has been reduced by 50%, adding that he is looking forward to the upcoming early elections in the north.
„I hope we are going to have a fair and open campaign for free and democratic elections. We need the help of the international community,“ Kurti added.
The Prime Minister of Kosovo also claims that the people of Kosovo understand that their lives will improve if they integrate.
„Integration is something which is beneficial for the citizens, but at the same time we as the government are there to ensure equal rights for all,“ he underscored.
Kurti: Belgrade is doing everything to prevent Serbs from integrating
At the same time, in an interview with RTV SLO, the Kosovo Prime Minister said that Belgrade is „doing everything to prevent the integration of Serbs in the north“, and that he needs the help of the international community, especially the European Union, RTK reported.
These are no two countries
While Kurti calls for mutual recognition in the region, as well as recognition of Kosovo by EU members, the Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic, underlined that Kosovo is part of Serbia.
„Firstly, I have to say that for me it is one country, there are not two countries, these are not both countries. Kosovo as the so-called Republic of Kosovo is not an internationally recognized country, it is not a member of the UN. I doubt that it will become a member of the EU, at least until there are five non-recognizers,“ said Brnabic.
She underlined that the normalization of relations is in the interest of both Belgrade and Pristina, Serbs and Albanians alike, but also the entire region, and high up on Serbia’s priority list.
Brnabic, however, recalled that the Brussels Agreement from 2013 is the basis for the normalization of relations, which, among other things, foresees the formation of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities – an obligation that Pristina has yet to fulfill.
„Almost eleven years later, there is everything but the establishment of the ASM, and Kurti says that the Brussels agreement does not exist for him,“ she added, noting that the obligation must be fulfilled and that the European Union is the guarantor of that.
„We are waiting for the ASM. Everything else – we live for peace and stability,“ she said.
In psychology, normalization is the absence of confusion about reality and fantasy
In his response to Brnabic, the Prime Minister of Kosovo emphasized that 98% of people in Kosovo support its entry into the EU, and 35% in Serbia.
He also addressed the fact that Kosovo imposed sanctions on Russia, saying that Serbia „is not thinking about it“, which was met with applause from the audience at the forum.
According to Kurti, Serbia has not distanced itself from either Milosevic or Putin.
Pristina does not have it easy, he warned.
He expressed the desire to normalize relations, noting that he would do so if his neighbor was, for example, the Czech Republic.
„Normalization with Serbia is much more difficult. It can happen. We need to implement the Basic Treaty that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and I agreed on in Brussels, but normalization in psychology means the absence of confusion between reality and fantasy, and that is something that, unfortunately, I cannot help with,“ said Kurti.
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