Albin Kurti, Kosovo’s acting prime minister, has reiterated his opposition to establishing an Association of Serb-majority Municipalities based on the model sought by Belgrade. He warned that such an arrangement could jeopardize Kosovo’s functionality and statehood.
During an interview on the geopolitical podcast “Quartier Général,” Kurti said he does not oppose cooperation among municipalities. However, he said that any mechanism of this kind must operate in accordance with the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo and aim to improve public services.
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“We already have an association of municipalities. But what Serbia calls an association is, in reality, not for the Serb community, but against Kosovo’s independence,” Kurti said.
He emphasized that Pristina seeks good-neighborly relations and the full normalization of relations with Serbia, but that this process must also include mutual recognition.
The Association is one of the main provisions of the 2013 Brussels Agreement. Belgrade has consistently insisted on its establishment, while Pristina has refused to allow the mechanism to have executive powers.
Kurti also cited the Kosovo Constitutional Court’s 2015 ruling, which found that the principles set out at the time for the Association were not fully compatible with the Constitution.
According to the acting prime minister, the issue is not related to the Serb community living in Kosovo, but to Belgrade’s political approach. He accused Belgrade of a “hegemonic drive” and of refusing to accept the reality that Serbs can live as a minority in other countries.
For years, Pristina has made it clear that it will not agree to a structure that could acquire powers similar to those of Republika Srpska in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Such a model is considered a threat to Kosovo’s statehood and the functioning of its institutions.
Meanwhile, Belgrade views the establishment of the Association as one of the main obligations Pristina must fulfill under the European Union-mediated dialogue.
This issue remains one of the main obstacles to the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
