The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti stated that he cannot allow the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities (ZSO) if it is not preceded by de facto recognition on the part of Serbia. “At the meeting in Brussels (14/09/23) I clearly stated that I cannot offer them coffee without a cup. First de facto recognition, because the legal framework for the establishment of the Union of Municipalities is the Constitution of Kosovo and not the Serbian Constitution,” said Albin Kurti in a press conference he gave today in Pristina.

The Kosovar prime minister said that Belgrade is mainly interested in the executive powers of the Union of Serbian Municipalities stressing that his government is not going to grant such power to a local self-government institution.

Albin Kurti expressed dissatisfaction with the attitude of the EU special envoy Miroslav Lejsac pointing out that on many issues during the negotiations he coordinates with the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic.

The new round of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina held on September 14, at the highest political level, in Brussels it ended in failure. The two sides failed to agree on the road map regarding the implementation of the European plan for the normalization of Serbia-Kosovo relations proposed by the High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell and the special mediator Miroslav Lajčak. The proposal envisaged the initiation by Pristina of the process for the establishment of the Union of Serbian Municipalities, while at the same time Belgrade would begin to fulfill its obligations.