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Four Deals, One Dispute: Kosovo and Serbia Clash Over Association Powers

On August 25, 2015, four agreements were signed in Brussels to normalize relations between **Kosovo and Serbia**.

The delegations of both countries signed the deals in the presence of the then EU foreign policy chief  Federica Mogherini. The agreements covered Telecommunications, Energy, the free circulation of the Ibër bridge in Mitrovica, and the Association of Serb-majority municipalities.

Then Prime Minister of Kosovo, Isa Mustafa, underlined that the Association “will have no executive powers.” He stressed that “all agreements comply with the Constitution and the laws of Kosovo.”

Similarly, then Foreign Minister Hashim Thaçi confirmed that “the agreements are fully aligned with Kosovo’s Constitution and laws.” He also repeated that “the Association will not hold executive competencies.”

Meanwhile, the Kosovo side and the international community insisted that all four agreements be signed together. The Serbian delegation was mostly interested in the Association of Serb-majority municipalities. By contrast, the Kosovo side prioritized the other three agreements.

However, Serbian President  Aleksandar Vučić later declared that the Association would have its  own president, vice president, assembly, council, emblem, and flag.

According to him, the Association would decide on four key issues of the Brussels Agreement: healthcare, education, rural and urban planning, and economic development. He also claimed that  Serbia could finance the Association without paying taxes or duties.

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