Today, KDI in cooperation with the Committee for European Integration of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo held a public discussion on the topic “Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue and the EU: Should the Brussels Agreements be ratified in the Assembly?” In this discussion was also presented the legal analysis related with this issue supported by KDI and prepared by Dr. Kushtrim Istrefi.

Part of the panel discussion were the representatives of Assembly Committees: Blerta Deliu-Kodra, Chair of the Committee on European Integration, Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, Chair of the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Diaspora and Strategic Investment, Korab Sejdiu Member of the Committee on Legislation, Mandate , Immunities, the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly and the oversight of the Anti-Corruption Agency and Kushtrim Istrefi, a lecturer on international human rights law.

At the beginning of this debate, Jeta Krasniqi from the Democratic Institute of Kosovo (KDI) stated that this debate aims to contribute to the discussion on the need for inter-institutional coordination for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process and transparency over the agreements reached. She added that part of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue agreements are not yet public, as the implementation plan of the justice agreement, which is kept secret by the public and for which KDI has requested to relevant institutions for access to this document but still have not received a positive answer.

Kushtrim Istrefi, author of parliamentary research “The Role of the Assembly in the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue and the Road to the EU”, shared with the participants legal analysis which highlights the need for increased institutional co-ordination, especially in the case of international agreements where there must be prior consent of the assembly to reach a state stand of all institutions. He added that the executive should clearly indicate what agreements are signed under the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, whether they are international agreements, treaties or bona fide agreements.

Istrefi stated that the SAA foresees punitive measures in case of non-implementation of Kosovo-Serbia dialogue agreements, within which parliamentary committees and the Assembly have an increased role in overseeing the dialogue process. He added that even two states that do not know each other can sign international binding agreements.

Speaker of the European Commission for European Integration, Blerta Deliu-Kodra, assessed that the lack of transparency of the dialogue process is one of the main shortcomings of this process. Deliu-Kodra called for greater involvement of MPs in the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue to give legitimacy to this process, emphasizing the importance of the participation of civil society and citizens.

Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, assessed that regarding the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process there has been uncertainty over whether the agreements reached should be ratified or not in the Assembly. She praised the research as a guide for evaluating the agreements reached within the dialogue and stressed the need for amending the law on international agreements.

Korab Sejdiu, a member of the Committee on Legislation, Mandates, Immunities, the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly and the oversight of the Anti-Corruption Agency, assessed that the dialogue was started in a wrong way, not based on the needs of Kosovo but only in those of Serbia. He assessed that Kosovo’s approach to international agreements is affecting the country’s citizenship. He added that there should be no new arrangements within the dialogue without the implementation of the agreements already reached.

This discussion was organized in the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between KDI and the Assembly aimed at increasing the participation of citizens in the framework of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue and strengthening the Assembly’s oversight role towards the Government, with the financing of the Swiss Embassy in Kosovo.