Kurti: Time ripe for normalization with Belgrade

“Kosovo and Serbia have no alternative but to reach a final agreement on normalizing ties,” Bloomberg quoted him as saying in an interview and adding thatthe “time is ripe” to do so during his term in office.

Kurti said he’s ready for an agreement to move Kosovo and Serbia closer to their common goal of membership in the European Union. He said that can happen only happen after Belgrade and Pristina normalize their relationship. “I see possibility. This autumn, we will find out whether we are going there. This autumn is quite decisive to see whether we should be optimistic,” he added.

Bloomberg said that Kurti didn’t disclose details of what a final deal may comprise but said that he sees potential for a deal under the constellation of administrations led by US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic.

Kurti expressed great concern over the fact that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic “still hadn’t distanced himself enough from his past when he served as information minister to late strongman Slobodan Milosevic in the 1990s” and has not cut ties with Moscow. “This really is worrisome,” Kurti said.

The Kosovo Prime Minister said he won’t postpone the implementation of his government’s decision to replace ID cards and vehicle license plates issued by the Serbian authorities with those issued by the authorities in Pristina. The deadline to start implementation is September 1. Kurti said he expects that date to “be a quiet, ordinary day” but added that KFOR will deal with any possible violence.