Borrell asks for “flexibility” after the shock caused by Pristina’s plan to replace Serbian documentation with his own
Brussels hosted this Thursday a new edition of the ‘Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue’, a forum sponsored since 2011 by the European Commission that had not met since June 2021. The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Policy, Josep Borrell, demanded “flexibility” from the parties after the tension was triggered by the plan of the Kosovar authorities to replace the documentation issued by Belgrade with their own documents in their territory.
The Serbian president, Alexander Vucic, and the Kosovar prime minister, Albin Kurti, “did not reach an agreement” to reduce the tension, but “discussions will continue in the coming days,” Borrell announced after the meeting.
NATO warned that its mission in the Balkans is “ready to intervene” to guarantee stability in the area
Tension has returned to the area 20 years after the end of the war. Several groups of Serbs blocked the border posts that separate both territories at the end of July. It was his response to the idea of the Kosovar authorities who, claiming a principle of “reciprocity”, intend to impose temporary residence permits on people who enter the country with Serbian identity documents. Pristina also required Serbs living in its territory – 5% of its 1.8 million inhabitants, the vast majority, Albanians – to replace the Serb license plates on their vehicles with other Kosovar ones. The entry into force of the plan was finally delayed to September.
“Recent tensions in northern Kosovo demonstrate once again that it is time to move towards full normalization. I hope leaders are open and flexible to find common ground,” Borrell stressed. “The two parties will be entirely responsible in case of escalation. There is still time until September 1 », he added.
Entry into the EU
After the escalation, NATO warned the parties that its mission in Kosovo, KFOR, deployed in the Balkans, is “ready to intervene” to guarantee stability in the area.
Beyond seeking the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, the dialogue rounds sponsored by the EU aim to promote their entry into the community club. Belgrade has since 2012 the status of an official candidate, while Pristina is a “potential candidate”. Five EU countries, including Spain, refuse to recognize the independence of the former Serbian province.
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