Factual independence next year, formal independence after several years of transitory period

Zëri reports on the front page that the European Union still has no proposal as far as the political status of Kosovo is concerned. The EU, the paper says, still hasn’t managed to harmonize the positions of member countries on the three non-negotiable principles that were announced by the Contact Group in early April. It is believed that the EU will support these principles in mid-June.

Citing diplomatic sources in Pristina, the paper notes that the prevailing idea in Brussels and in Solana’s office, as far as the issue of Kosovo is concerned, is to find a solution that would at the same time respect the reality in Kosovo and try to save Belgrade’s face for a couple of years.

Zëri also says that according to an idea in Brussels, in spring-summer 2006 Kosovo would de facto become an independent country but would not be recognized by UN, EU and Western countries. Kosovo would enter another period of transition that would last for 2-3 years, ultimately leading to Kosovo’s independence.