The acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Donika Gërvalla, has stated that Kosovo and Serbia remain far apart from holding any high-level meeting, despite the initiative announced by the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas.
“We’ve never rejected dialogue, but we won’t compromise on our principles,” Gërvalla told reporters, following another failed attempt to constitute Kosovo’s Assembly.
She emphasized that ongoing technical discussions have never ceased, referencing meetings with EU envoy Peter Sørensen and Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi. However, Gërvalla noted that a trilateral meeting is not yet in sight, primarily due to Serbia’s failure to extradite Milan Radoičić, the indicted leader of the group behind the Banjska terrorist attack.
“Serbia must prove its commitment to dialogue not only by implementing the February 2023 Agreement but also by extraditing Radoičić. President Vučić continues to promise action internationally, but months and even years go by with no results,” she said.
Gërvalla also criticized calls for Kosovo to make further concessions in the absence of accountability for Serbia’s actions, particularly regarding the September 2023 attack in Banjska.
Prime Minister Albin Kurti, in his meeting with Kaja Kallas on Thursday evening, also stressed that full implementation of the Basic Agreement and its Annex is critical, and reiterated the demand for Radoičić’s extradition.
“Milan Radoičić must be brought to justice in Kosovo,” said Kurti, citing a 160-page indictment by Kosovo’s Prosecutor’s Office.
No high-level Kurti-Vučić meetings have occurred since September 14, 2023, just days before the Banjska attack. Both leaders have only held separate meetings with EU officials since then.
Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas emphasized that the EU remains committed to facilitating dialogue, noting the importance of resuming talks with both parties involved.
“The Ohrid Agreement is a fact and must be implemented by both sides,” Kallas declared during her press conference in Kosovo.
