Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister, Besnik Bislimi, has voiced criticism against the European Union’s approach to the ongoing dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. He expressed dissatisfaction with how the EU has balanced blame between the two sides for failing to implement the agreements made, suggesting that this strategy has only hindered progress.
Speaking to Voice of America, Bislimi highlighted the EU’s tendency to avoid directly identifying one party as responsible, fearing it might negatively impact their willingness to participate in further talks. He believes that Brussels’ reluctance to single out a blocking party has led to a situation where both sides are blamed equally.
“The approach in Brussels has always been to avoid singling out one side as responsible. Any attempt to point fingers could negatively affect the willingness of the party being criticized to continue the dialogue,” Bislimi said. “As a result, the EU has often chosen to divide the blame equally between the two sides.”
Bislimi’s comments come ahead of the upcoming meeting on December 17th, which he believes should not be expected to yield significant results. He stressed that the timing of the meeting is critical for several reasons.
“The December 17th meeting is happening at a crucial moment for three main reasons,” Bislimi explained. “Firstly, we’ve just had the terrorist attack on the Ibër-Lepenc canal; secondly, there are new figures joining the EU Commission; and thirdly, we’re seeing the departure of Miroslav Lajčak, who is finishing his mandate. Realistically, this is not the best time to start something major. Also, it seems there is little willingness from the Serbian side to take the implementation of the Brussels Agreement and the Ohrid Implementation Annex seriously.”
With tensions high and significant obstacles in the path to normalization, Bislimi expressed skepticism about the immediate potential for breakthrough in the December talks. Despite these challenges, Kosovo remains committed to dialogue, though the outlook remains uncertain.
