The effectiveness of the future Kosovo-Serbia dialogue depends on the European engagement, and “no other continent could replace Europe” in this role, Kosovo’s Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti told French President Emmanuel Macron in a phone call on Wednesday.
The statement comes amidst an increased engagement by the US administration to take the lead in the stalled dialogue EU-mediated dialogue. US special envoy Richard Grenell’s disagreement with Kurti on Kosovo’s tariffs on Serbian goods was influential in toppling the government two weeks ago.
During their phone call, Macron promised an increased role by France and him personally in the dialogue that is expected to resume soon under the mediation of EU special envoy Miroslav Lajcak, in coordination with the US. Macron underlined his objective to organize a French-German-EU summit in Paris focused on the Kosovo-Serbia relations as soon as conditions are met.
Kurti informed Macron on the lifted tariffs and introduction of reciprocity measures, which he said are in line with agreement signed between the two countries under the mediation of Brussels. The French president supported the restart of circulation of goods after tariffs were lifted.
The two leaders also discussed the political situation in Kosovo. Kurti thanked Macron for the joint statement by French and German Ministries of Foreign Affairs against the no-confidence vite that toppled his government, and reiterated his position that new elections are the only constitutional solution after his government was toppled in parliament.
President Hashim Thaçi has instead decided to push the parliament to form a new government, and invited Kurti’s LVV, the largest parliamentary party, to nominate a candidate for prime minister.
Whilst it seems unlike under current alliances that LVV could get the needed 61 votes in the 120-seat parliament, the party has suggested it would indefinitely drag the nomination of a candidate at least until the end of the coronavirus crisis, when they will put pressure for new elections. They claim the Constitution sets no deadline for submitting a candidate for prime minister.
