EU High Representative Borrell to visit Kosovo next week

Gazeta Express

21/01/2020 16:02

European officials were caught by surprise after Kosovo and Serbia on Monday reached a deal to re-establish a commercial flight route under a US-brokered deal. The EU High Representative Joseph Borrell, has made the move and is expected to visit Pristina next week. Most likely he will make a stop also in Belgrade, Gazeta Express has learned.  

Kosovo remains without a functional Government since Ramush Haradinaj resigned as prime minister in July 2019 after he was summoned as a suspect by the Hague-based Specialist Prosecutor’s Office to be questioned for his role as wartime commander. Three months after elections took place, the Vetevendosje as winner of elections has failed to create a government and is lacking majority in parliament. Under current political stalemate the EU has halted efforts to resume the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade.

The newly appointed EU foreign policy chief, Joseph Borrell has announced a visit to Kosovo, and stated that the Western Balkans remains at the top of his agenda, however he kept postponing his promise after Kosovo was left without a functional Government.

But sources told Gazeta Express that Joseph Borrell will visit Kosovo next week. Borrell’s visit comes amidst intensive talks of the Vetevendosje and Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK) to reach a deal and form new institutions after the president Hashim Thaci has mandated Vetevendosje leader Albin Kurti to form new Government. Under Kosovo’s legislation Kurti has 15 days to present his cabinet before the Parliament. It seems the European Union will not lose its pace on Kosovo-Serbia dialogue especially now after the US President Donald Trump’s special envoy on Dialogue, Richard Grenell, brokered an important deal on establishing a direct commercial flight between Pristina and Belgrade, which is considered as a first step towards resumption of the dialogue between the two countries. /GazetaExpress/