Serbian And Kosovo Will return to the European Union-sponsored dialogue table Normalize relations on September 14As announced Thursday by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell.
“On September 14, I will hold a new high-level dialogue meeting between Kosovo and Serbia as the facilitator of this dialogue to seek a solution,” Borrell said at a press conference after the informal meeting of the Union’s foreign ministers on September 14. said. Toledo
Borrell evaluated Ministers being “very important”The European Council, chaired by Spain, “Assess what is happening in the Balkans”.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Athens on 21 August, where they attended an informal dinner with regional leaders convened by Greece. Prime Minister Kyriacos Mitsotakis.
Von der Leyen later explained that she had discussed with Kurti the following: Reducing tensions in northern Kosovo, Continuing the dialogue facilitated by the EU And Implementation of agreements on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
He spoke with Vucic that “a constructive compromise is needed to de-escalate tensions in northern Kosovo and for Serbia’s progress towards the EU”.
“A closer integration between the EU and the Western Balkans is vital, especially in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine,” von der Leyen said at the time. he said.
At the end of July, Kurti asked the EU: Withdrawal “as soon as possible” of restrictive measures imposed on your country due to non-compliance with de-escalation steps In the north of Kosovars, where the Serb minority lives.
In particular, the EU froze some European funds for Kosovo in June, among other measures.
Tensions escalated in late May as Kosovo Serbs refused to accept Kosovo Albanian-majority mayors in the four northern Serb-populated municipalities that boycotted last April’s elections and protested daily in front of three city halls. from those cities.
The EU demands from Pristina:Mayors will serve in other buildings until new elections are held.It calls for the unconditional participation of Serbs.
It also demands the withdrawal of the Kosovo special police, as well as the withdrawal of the Serbian protesters.
The Kosovo government promised in mid-July that it would not take any action that would worsen the situation and, as a first step, it would reduce the presence of special police in and around town halls by 25%.
Instead, Serbia claims: Kurti does not want to de-escalate tensions or hold new elections in northern Kosovo. It condemns the growing intimidation and discrimination against Serbs in Kosovo by the authorities in Pristina, at the request of the EU.
The former Serb-majority Albanian province of Kosovo declared its independence in 2008; Serbia does not recognize this and the EU is mediating between the parties with the support of the US.