U.S. Special Envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia talks Richard Grenell has suggested that a new Kosovo government that could drop reciprocity measures with Serbia might be established this week.
In apparent support to Thaçi’s announcement that he will possibly sidestep the largest parliamentary party in the country and ask the runner up to form a new government, which he retweeted, Grenell suggested that the dropping of “tariffs/reciprocity” measures next week would open the way for the start of dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.
Grenell added that leaders of both countries had committed to him to building confidence in preparation.
“Once tariffs/reciprocity are dropped (maybe this week?), then Dialogue begins in earnest. I’ve spoken with leaders in Serbia and Kosovo to make clear they must start building confidence today in preparation – and they’ve committed to do so. More to come soon,” Grenell wrote in his retweet.
President Thaçi announced earlier today that he is set to ensure a new government is formed in Kosovo starting from next week. This implies that the president will most likely ask Kosovo’s second largest party, Democratic League of Kosovo to form a new government. LDK has already formed a coalition and has enough votes for the government.
The Vetevendosje Party (LVV) of caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti has not submitted a nominee for the post yet, after more than two weeks since the president asked them. Whilst the constitution sets not deadline for them to present a nominee, the LVV claims it demands the president to call early elections.
Thaçi’s expected move to ask the runner up LDK, which appears to have arranged the numbers to form a government, could worsen the political crisis in Kosovo amidst the ongoing cornavirus outbreak.
The president has controversially pushed for a “government of national unity”, which LVV claims shows his political involvement in the process, and violation of the constitution.
Grenell has called on the Kosovo government to drop tariffs on Serbian goods as a condition for them to seat in talks since he was assigned to the post. When the Kurti Government made it clear that they would replace tariffs with reciprocity measures, and actually did that, Grenell asked for the dropping of reciprocity measures also.
The Kurti Government was under increasing pressure to drop tariffs by the U.S. administration until it was finally ousted only after 52 days in power for allegedly jeopardizing relations with the U.S.
In the meantime, Grenell publicly asked Serbia only once to stop its derecognition campaign against Kosovo. The Serbian government said they will not stop the campaign.
