The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas, has proposed extending the mandate of the EU Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue, Peter Sorensen.
Kallas’ proposal was discussed weeks ago within several EU Council bodies: the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, and previously within the Working Group of Foreign Affairs Advisors and the Working Group for the Western Balkans.
Without providing details, the EU External Action Service confirmed to TV Dukagjini its support for the continuation of work by the Danish diplomat.
“The EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, Peter Sorensen, enjoys the full support of the High Representative and the EU member states. The outcome of the Council processes will be announced once completed,” the European Union stated.
Sorensen’s initial mandate, which began on February 1 this year, is 13 months long and is set to expire on February 28, 2026.
According to Professor Gëzim Qerimi, so far – during Sorensen’s mandate – the dialogue has produced no concrete results and can be considered a failure.
“Whether it is Sorensen’s mandate that is extended or that of another figure, the fundamental principle should be established to complete the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue. The dialogue will have no meaning if its first point—mutual recognition between Kosovo and Serbia—is not achieved. I believe all failures are a result of the absence of this principle,” said Professor Gëzim Qerimi.
Professor Sylë Ukshini, linking the lack of results to a “status quo,” also noted that for the EU, the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue was not a top priority and that internal developments in both countries played a role.
“The blame cannot be placed on Sorensen because the EU lacks enforcement tools. His mandate is solely facilitative, and as a facilitator, his success depends on the willingness of the parties to implement agreements. On the other hand, it also depends on the level of pressure exerted by the European Union and the United States,” said Sylë Ukshini, former diplomat and professor.
The Danish diplomat, who succeeded Slovak diplomat Miroslav Lajčák, visited Kosovo four times: in March, April, August, and October, while organizing several, mostly separate, meetings at the chief negotiator level.
The high-level meeting in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, which Sorensen stated in June he was preparing, never took place.
