March 2023 marked a new chapter of hope in the war-ridden European politics as Kosova and Serbia finally settled on a significant political agreement.[1] The previous one signed in Washington had silently collapsed while anti-establishment Albin Kurti was voted into office in Kosova. Thus, after a year of war in Ukraine, European decision-makers were relieved to facilitate a détente between two antagonists in the Western Balkans. However, the agreement ran into problems from day one as President Vucic refused to sign it. Since then, the arrangement ran from one trouble to another to the point where today it is practically on life support. European Union mediators believe the only miracle that can save the process is a unilateral goodwill gesture by the Kosovar side by establishing the Association of the Serbian Majority Municipalities (ASMM). However, after 13 years of dialogue, with very little to show for it, there is barely any goodwill left on either side. But how did the “deal of the year” end up in a deadlock so soon?

[1] European External Action Service. “Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue: Agreement on the Path to Normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia.” European External Action Service, 27 Feb. 2023, www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/belgrade-pristina-dialogue-agreement-path-normalisation-between-kosovo-and-serbia_en.