OSCE PA Vice-President and South East Europe envoy welcomes progress in Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue

Michael Georg LinkCOPENHAGEN, 20 March 2023 – Following this weekend’s High-Level Meeting of the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue, held between President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Minister of Kosovo Albin Kurti in Ohrid, North Macedonia, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Michael Georg Link (Germany) commended the efforts of the European Union and U.S. facilitators of the talks, also known as the Brussels Dialogue. In his capacity as OSCE PA Special Representative on South East Europe, he is closely following the Kosovo-Serbia talks, and welcomes the progress in developing normal, good-neighbourly relations.

“This is finally very good news from the high-level talks of the Brussels Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, building from the progress made on 27 February this year, where the sides agreed on the so-called German-French plan, which is supported by all EU Member States,” Link said today. “The news from Ohrid in North Macedonia, where the latest round of talks on 18 March were held – for the first time outside of Brussels – is an important step in the right direction, insofar that the sides agreed on the annex to the German-French plan.”

“By agreeing to the German-French plan on 27 February and its annex on 18 March, President of Serbia and Prime Minister of Kosovo, Aleksandar Vucic and Albin Kurti, showed the maturity of their political leadership and we strongly support them on the implementation of the agreement that was reached under the tireless European Union facilitators. We are all aware that peace has no alternative,” Link added.

Vice-President Michael Link also noted that the OSCE and its Parliamentary Assembly are longstanding partners in supporting progress in the Western Balkans and assisting countries in the region. The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly supports the work of all six OSCE field operations in the region, and is proud of the progress achieved jointly with their hosts. The fact that since 2015, two countries from the Western Balkans have chaired the OSCE and one just took over the Chairmanship is a recognition by the OSCE participating States of the achieved progress in the region.

“I call upon both sides to work hard on implementing the agreement. Its implementation can ease the free movement of people and goods which is fundamental for the region,” Link stated. “I am expecting more positive news from Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in the near future and I call on both sides to use dialogue as the only tool for finding solutions for the mutual benefit of both countries and first and foremost for the benefit of its citizens.”

Link expressed his belief that genuine readiness for compromise is inevitable. “The progress on the European path for both Parties depends on a comprehensive agreement on normalization of the relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which will create new opportunities and improve the lives of their citizens,” he said. “A normalization agreement between the Parties is beneficial also to the security, stability and prosperity of the whole region.”

Vice-President Link added that the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to offer its support in this process wherever and whenever needed.

For more on Vice-President Link’s work in the region, please visit his Special Representative web page here.