Serbia is interested in joining the European Union. It must normalize relations with Kosovo (ethnic Albanian-majority Kosovo), which declared independence in 2008. Belgrade considers Kosovo a Serbian province.
Vucic and Albin Kurti, the Kosovo Prime Minister, agreed to normalize steps during a meeting with EU officials at a North Macedonian lakeside resort. However, no document was signed. The EU stated that it wanted to go further.
“Serbia would like to maintain normal relations with Kosovo. Vucic stated that Serbia wants to travel and do business. “You cannot live behind 100m walls.
Vucic stated to reporters that he didn’t want the agreement on the implementation annex (last night) nor the EU-backed deal (in Brussels last month). “I’m not interested in signing any international legally binding documents with Kosovo, because Serbia doesn’t recognise its independence.”
Kurti stated late Saturday night that the agreement was “de facto” recognition.
Kosovo and Serbia reached a verbal agreement to give more autonomy to the Serb majority regions. Serbia also agreed to not block Kosovo’s entry into international organisations. The EU promised to host a donor conference, with financial aid being disbursed based on improvements in ties.
Josep Borrell (EU’s chief of foreign policy), stated that after the 12-hour meeting, the agreement reached was not enough to meet the requirements for a more ambitious and detailed proposal. This was something that the parties could not agree upon.
He claimed that Kosovo was not flexible on the substance of the suggestions, and that Serbia had refused signing the document, even though Belgrade was “fully prepared to implement it”.
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