Kosovo PM: Mogherini to be excluded from Belgrade – Pristina dialogue

N1/ Zana Cimili

Ramush Haradinaj, Kosovo’s Prime Minister, demanded on Friday that the European Union High Representative and the mediator in the Belgrade – Pristina dialogue on normalisation of relations Federica Mogherini be removed from the further process, the FoNet news agency reported, citing Pristina media.

He did not explain, but Pristina’s politicians have criticised Mogherini for a while, accusing her of siding with Belgrade and allowing the border changes into the dialogue agenda.

Mogherini has reiterated for several times that the condition for the resumption of the dialogue which had been on hold since last November, was that Pristina suspends the 100 precent import tariffs it introduced on goods from Serbia and Bosnia.

Belgrade also conditions the continuation of the talks with the move.

“I request that the things are made clear, as well as everybody’s role,” in the process, Haradinaj said.

He added that some tried to say he was jeopardising relations between Pristina and Washington. The US also insists on the suspension of taxes, while Haradinaj refuses it.

“We will have a meeting in Paris (at the beginning of July) with Serbia’s representatives, then another one in Washington, so that Washington will be directly involved (in the dialogue),” Haradinaj said.

There has not been any official announcement of a possible meeting in Washington, except President Donald Trump’s invitation to presidents Hashim Thaci and Aleksandar Vucic to White House after a deal was made.

 Haradinaj said that “it is a part of the process which aims at Serbia’s recognition of Kosovo’s independence within the existing borders, with the respect of human rights and the improvement of economic relations and Euro-Atlantic integrations.”