The chief negotiators of Kosovo and Serbia are in Brussels to discuss with the envoy of the European Union Miroslav Lajcak, regarding the use of the Serbian dinar in Kosovo, which has become a topic of disagreement between the government in Pristina and Western diplomacy.
Mr. Lajcak first met with Kosovo's chief negotiator Besnik Bislimi and then with Serbia's Petar Petkovic, while it is not yet known if there will be a tripartite meeting.
This is the first time that government officials are participating in the discussions on the issue of the Serbian dinar, since until now they have refused on the grounds that this is not the topic of the dialogue taking place in Brussels. Officials of the Central Bank of Kosovo participated in last month's meeting from Kosovo.
The meetings in Brussels followed the regulation of this bank, according to which the euro is the only currency that can be used for ready payments in Kosovo. The regulation, which came into force on February 1, prompted an angry reaction from Belgrade, and concerns of Western diplomacy about its impact on the lives of Kosovo Serbs who continue to be financially supported by Belgrade, as well as on tensions between the parties.
Diplomats have called on the government of Kosovo to suspend the regulation of the Central Bank and to give time to the affected citizens to adapt to the new situation.
The United States has emphasized that the lack of coordination by the Kosovo government regarding this issue has affected the quality of the partnership between the two governments and has warned Pristina that disagreements hinder their commitment to help Kosovo's progress towards Euro-Atlantic integration.
The head of the European Union's foreign policy, Josep Borrell, warned on Monday of increasing pressure on Kosovo and Serbia to implement the agreement reached a year ago for the normalization of relations between them.
On March 18, in Ohrid, they agreed on the roadmap for implementing the agreement, which requires good neighborly relations, recognition of documents and symbols, and respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. It requires that the parties do not hinder each other in the integration processes, but does not require mutual recognition. The plan also envisages the fulfillment of all agreements previously reached in talks mediated by the European Union.
The agreement was welcomed by Western diplomacy and there was a degree of optimism that its implementation would begin immediately, but this did not happen and the parties went through periods of high tensions that culminated on September 24 when a Kosovo policeman was killed during an attack by armed Serbs. .