Sarazzin on new Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue meeting: No great enthusiasm

Sarrazin told the N1 TV show Newsnight he was very happy that a high-level meeting is again take place.

The European External Action Service (EEAS) announced that a new round of talks within the European Union (EU)-facilitated Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, which is to be attended by Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, will be held on Thursday.

There is no great enthusiasm that a major breakthrough will be achieved, it is about concrete steps to de-escalate the situation in northern Kosovo, to open doors and take a positive path, Sarazzin said, adding that the region needs good news.

When asked what can be achieved by a single round of talks, the European official explained that the European Union’s (EU) de-escalation plan is for both sides to move toward the withdrawal of police forces and election of new mayors in four municipalities in the north of Kosovo.

These mayors should serve ordinary citizens, said Sarazzin, adding that it remains to be seen how things will progress but that it was important to start working on this again.

He voiced his opinion that a solution is possible only if the Community of Serb Municipalities (CSM) is formed and the Ohrid agreement implemented.

I think it is clear that the international community expects the Kosovo side to start and that the CSM will be established as agreed, in accordance with the Kosovo legislation, said Sarazzin.

There is strong political pressure to avoid de-escalation, both sides have to prove that they will deliver something, he stressed.

The most important thing is for life in the north of Kosovo to return to normalcy, for there to be no more fear of violence, for people to go back to living normal lives, especially in the four Serb-majority municipalities, said the European official.

Sarazzin stressed that the escalation between Kosovo and Serbia has made the region’s accession path difficult, that it is toxic for the region and that progress is needed, because there is a European future for Serbia, Kosovo and for the whole region.