Kushtrim Gara, from the Government Commission on Missing Persons, accused Serbia of deliberately obstructing efforts to clarify the fate of missing persons from the Kosovo war, stressing that Belgrade is attempting to revise the terms of reference already agreed in December 2024.
In an interview with Ekonomia Online, Gara underlined that Kosovo’s institutions have consistently treated the issue of missing persons as a top priority, while Serbia continues to politicize the matter.
Kosovo’s stance
“Institutions of Kosovo, the Government Commission, our delegation, and all state institutions have continuously addressed the issue of missing persons as a priority. In nearly every dialogue meeting, as well as in other high-level discussions, this remains one of the central topics,” Gara stated.
Serbia’s obstruction
Gara argued that Serbia has persistently sought to politicize the issue, showing a lack of willingness to implement commitments outlined in the May 2 Declaration.
“This includes the opening of Serbian state archives related to war crimes of genocidal proportions, and addressing excavations at marked locations within Serbian territory without further delay,” he added.
He emphasized that Belgrade’s delays are inflicting deep pain on the families of the missing, prolonging their suffering.
Stalled dialogue in Brussels
On September 11, 2025, the latest round of Kosovo–Serbia dialogue in Brussels ended without progress. Kosovo’s delegation insisted on full implementation of the Agreement on the Path to Normalization, while Serbia pushed for prioritizing the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities.
Kosovo’s chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi said that Pristina had specifically demanded implementation of the commitments on missing persons. However, no joint commission could be established because Serbia sought to reopen negotiations on the terms of reference finalized in December 2024—a request rejected by both the EU and Kosovo.
The Commission on Missing Persons is part of the 2023 Joint Declaration on Missing Persons, reached in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue. Both parties agreed on December 17, 2024 to implement this declaration.
