Brussels, 17 December 2024
The First Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration, Development, and Dialogue of the Republic of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, participated in the latest meetings held in Brussels at the chief negotiators’ level as part of the dialogue process.
The meetings were conducted in both bilateral and trilateral formats. Initially, a bilateral meeting was held with the European Union and the envoy Miroslav Lajcak. The latter strongly condemned the recent attack on our country at the Iber Lepenc canal, expressing full support for Kosovo.
Discussions included the agreement on forcibly disappeared persons, where an agreement was reached on the terms of reference for the working group, through which Kosovo will no longer be represented by UNMIK.
Another topic addressed within the dialogue framework was the way forward in implementing the Basic Agreement and the Implementation Annex from Ohrid.
Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi stated that our side has always been constructive, continuously providing comments and proposals and showing readiness to move forward. He emphasized the importance of signing the agreement and fully implementing it. On the other hand, he added that Serbia continues to reject and deny it, failing to take any steps towards initiating the agreement’s implementation.
Furthermore, other topics were discussed, including freedom of movement, IBM, civil status record registration within the institutions of the Republic of Kosovo, notarial services, energy, the implementation of the license plate agreement, and the harmonization of veterinary certificates.
Envoy Lajcak welcomed the government’s decision on registering civil status records for Kosovo Serbs.
Meanwhile, in the trilateral meeting at the chief negotiators’ level, Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi reiterated Kosovo’s constructive stance on advancing the implementation of the Basic Agreement and the Implementation Annex. During the meeting, he also raised the issue of discrimination against Albanians in the Presheva Valley, where recently, the Serbian Ministry for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue intervened to block a donation intended for subsidizing Albanian farmers in Presheva, Bujanoc, and Medvegje, by requesting the annulment of the public call decision.
Last modified: December 23, 2024