Kosovo Serbia border 'will be raised in Brussels'

(MENAFN- The Journal Of Turkish Weekly) Kosovo’s Minister for Dialogue Edita Tahiri told BIRN Pristina “plans to discuss the border demarcation between the two states Kosovo and Serbia in 2016”. The next round of EU-brokered talks between Belgrade and Pristina are due to begin in Brussels on January 27. According to Tahiri the dismantling of all parallel structures and the establishment of the Association of the Serb-Majority Municipalities – which will grant Kosovo’s ethnic Serb population greater local political autonomy – are also expected to be discussed at the talks. The Serbian authorities have always referred to the border line with Kosovo as an “administrative boundary line” but Kosovoprofessor of political sciences andanalyst Nexhmedin Spahiu says that Serbia will in effect accept Kosovo’s borders at the moment it accepts discussions on border demarcation. The proposal comes at a time when another border demarcation process with Montenegro is pending due to the controversies it caused inside Kosovo. “Demarcation with Montenegro was expected to go smoothly but it caused many troubles. Demarcation with Serbia will be even more difficult and it requires more responsibility” Spahiu said. On the other hand Belul Beqaj an analyst from Pristina and head of the European Movement in Kosovo believes that the Kosovo delegation is trying to open new topics in an attempt “to forget the old ones”. “They are trying to open demarcation with Serbia without concluding the same process with Montenegro. They are trying to marginalize something that stands high in public opinion” Beqaj said. Border demarcation with Montenegro and Kosovo’s deal with Serbia that allows for the establishment of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities have sparked a series of often violent protests in Kosovo as opposition parties bitterly object to both agreements. Kosovo’s parliament failed to hold a single normal debate during the entire autumn session as opposition MPs disrupted each session by either setting off tear gas or using other violent tactics during debates. Apart from disrupting parliament opposition MPs have also taken to the streets to protest against government deals with Serbia and Montenegro. The opposition Alliance for the Future of Kosovo AAK led by former Kosovo Liberation Army commander Ramush Haradinaj is against the government’s plan to open a new topic in the dialogue with Serbia. AAK traditionally holds strong support in Kosovo’s western region of Peja/Pec which lies on the border with Montenegro. “The current government has lost the credibility and legitimacy to open new topics in the dialogue with Serbia. Time is running out for this government” Ardian Gjini vice-chairperson of AAK told BIRN. Ratification of the demarcation agreement with Montenegro is one of eight conditions that the European Commission set in order for Kosovo institutions to receive backing for EU visa liberalisation. Last month Kosovo’s Prime Minister Isa Mustafa threatened to boycott the next round of EU-led talks with his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic unless Brussels delivers a positive recommendation on EU visa liberalisation.