Toward a Credible Sequencing Framework for the Implementation of the Kosovo–Serbia Agreements

Month of February marked the third anniversary of the Agreement on the Path to Normalization of Relations (often called Basic Agreement) and its Ohrid Implementation Annex (concluded in March), but the date went by with little attention. There were no significant political statements, reaffirmations, or efforts to highlight or defend the agreement. This lack of response raises an important question: do we still have an agreement?

A few years ago, the main discussions were about how quickly and fully the agreement was being put into practice, and which parts were progressing or falling behind. Now, the debate is more about whether the agreement itself is still valid and credible. Actions on both sides have led to this gradual decline.

Serbia’s refusal to formally sign the agreement was followed, in December 2023, by a letter from Prime Minister Ana Brnabić to the European Union stating that Serbia would not implement provisions it considers contrary to its “national interests.” Although the former EU Special Representative for the Dialogue, Miroslav Lajčák, indicated that this letter had been withdrawn, this has never been formally confirmed, leaving continued ambiguity over Serbia’s commitments.

On Kosovo’s side, the position reflects a similar gap between political commitment and practical action. Prime Minister Albin Kurti strongly insisted on the formal signing of the agreement and has consistently presented it as the most favorable framework Kosovo has had in years. This commitment was further reaffirmed in a joint letter to the Council of Europe, co-signed with President Vjosa Osmani and Speaker Glauk Konjufca, on the eve of the vote on Kosovo’s membership, explicitly confirming Kosovo’s readiness to implement commitments from the normalisation dialogue. However, this declared commitment was not followed by corresponding action, most notably the refusal to submit the draft statute of the Association of Serb-Majority Municipalities to the Constitutional Court, an omission that contributed directly to the postponement of the vote.