Photo: TanjugThere was a Serb, an American, a German, a Frenchman, an Italian and a Slovak. It sounds like the beginning of a joke in which the Serb will make fun of everyone else. Except it's not a joke. And besides the Serbs, there is also that Albanian in Pristina who spoils the whole story
The unusual format and composition of the intermediary Euro-Atlantic Five speaks more about what is happening on the Belgrade-Pristina route via Brussels and Washington, than the brief statements of the main protagonists after the separate meetings on Friday.
It was not enough that the main European conciliator between the Serbs and the Albanians, Miroslav Lajčak, was helped by the American in charge of this part of Europe, Gabriel Escobar, but as reinforcements, the German Jens Plettner and the Frenchman Emmanuel Bon, as direct interpreters of the mysterious of the German-French plan that should resolve all Kosovo-Serbian entanglements. And since Italian Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni does not trust Brussels, Berlin and Paris in principle, and the Western Balkans suddenly found themselves in the focus of European interest due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, her envoy Francesco Maria Talo, qualified for such a mission as a former permanent resident, joined this dream team. Italian representative to NATO.
In short: a serious force has set its sights on that Serb and Albanian from the beginning of the text, with the intention that, if necessary, they will wring their hands so that, at least until the Ukrainian knot of war is untied, the disturbing Serbian-Albanian charlatans will be removed from the agenda.
At one time, in 1999, in the French castle of Rambouillet, the then US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had to process for a week the newly emerged Hashim Thaci to sign the Peace Agreement with the all-American addendum that was rejected, and which it was known that Slobodan Milošević could not accept. . At that time, the young, diplomatically inexperienced and impatient commander of the KLA fidgeted because there was nothing in the Agreement that would directly indicate the rapid formalization of Kosovo's independence. In the end, Albright must have said something to him like "you fool, sign it, if you don't sign it, then how can we bomb the Serbs".
Nobody is going to bomb anyone now, but if Aljbin Kurti finally accepts the formation of some kind of Union of Serbian Municipalities, then all the force of the joint and individual pressure of the European Union, the USA, Germany and France will fall on Aleksandar Vučić, if he does not start looking at things , as seen from Washington, Berlin, Paris and Brussels.
Kurti is currently, for one thing, bothered by the fact that the Euro-Atlantic "partners" do not ask Serbia immediately, and ultimately, to treat Kosovo not as fake, but as according to independent to the state; what is currently at stake, probably, is "only" Belgrade's withdrawal from active opposition to Kosovo getting a seat in the United Nations and other international organizations. Under two, I guess the prime minister of Kosovo is being asked to accept the formation of the ZSO, which narrowly exceeds the powers of a non-governmental organization, so he is fidgeting because of that. Impatient Kurti would like to get everything right away, hence Lajčak's "disappointment" after talking with the diplomatically, in contrast to Vučić, inexperienced Kurti and the statement that they, Kurti, expected "more understanding' for the European proposal.
As long as Kurti is on his feet, Vučić will be able to postpone the unpleasant "yes" or "no" to the Euro-Atlantic "proposal" drawn up by the Germans and the French and maintain the status quo by creating an alibi for possible concessions. But if Kurti accepts what is offered to him for certain concessions, the "proposal" of the Western Five could very quickly turn into an ultimatum in Belgrade. And then there are the unfortunate sanctions against Russia.
The diplomatic skill of Vučić and Kurti will be to accuse the other as the culprit for the destabilization of the region so that all the undivided force of Western pressure will fall on him, while Vučić gives the impression of a more skilled player, so Lajčak also praised him as cooperative, while Kurti has a stronger cards in hand because he essentially wants what these intermediaries also want. Just not right away.
Read daily news, analysis, commentary and interviews at www.vreme.com
The rector of the University of Belgrade, Vladan Đokić, claims to Danas that he has been monitored for a year and a half and that he suspects that listening devices are in his office at the Rectorate, at the faculty, in his car and at home.
After the election defeat, Vučić is increasingly addressing his supporters via TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, where his posts receive hundreds of thousands of views.
Only the court can determine who caused injuries to whom, said lawyer Edvin S. Prelić, reacting to the claims of the Kreni-promeni movement that Aelksandar Šapić caused serious physical injuries to councilor Tatjana Mićić
The student plan calls for six months of voluntary military service, better conditions for members of the military, investment in equipment and the defense industry, an investigation into early deaths and numerous other changes.
The student list is asking for an investigation into the origin of the fake document, which threatens with the confiscation of pensions and prison sentences. The Ministry of Finance confirmed that the statements in the document are false
At the moment when the institutions of the Republic are destroyed, when Vučić's octopus is still alive, when people are disgusted by the injustice and the stench left behind by the Essenes regime, we have, as Machiavelli said, only civic virtue as the fuel with which we can return to the beginning
The four independent members of REM are an example of perseverance and civic responsibility. Rodoljub Šabić even, upon leaving the premises of REM, after the sentencing of the Informer, experienced that the Essenes insulted him, hit him with their hands and feet. But that too will soon be over
Vučić pardoned the batterers and Dijana Hrkalović. The election winners should abolish the sultan's power that allows one man to run afoul of the entire judicial system
Interview: Branko Stamenković, public prosecutor of the Supreme Public Prosecutor's Office
A black picture and the breakdown of the rule of law subscribeThe archive of the weekly Vreme includes all our digital editions, since the very beginning of our work. All issues can be downloaded in PDF format, by purchasing the digital edition, or you can read all available texts from the selected issue.
See all
Apart from the fact that Aleksandar Vučić, as Miroslav Lajčak says, showed a good will to make difficult decisions, that is, that he obeys the Western view of the Kosovo problem, and Aljbin Kurti did not, nothing more is known after the visit of the unique Western mission made up of five envoys to Pristina and Belgrade
The Western Five discussed the French-German proposal for the normalization of relations with Belgrade with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, in Pristina. EU envoy Miroslav Lajčak said that the meeting was sincere, but not easy at all, and that it was too early to talk about anything. During the day, the representatives of the USA, Germany, Italy, the EU and the USA will meet with Aleksandar Vučić
