EU: Kosovo to start the establishment of the Association without delay

2024-12-12 19:15:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The European Union (EU) is expected to call on Kosovo to start the work without any delay for the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, it is stated in a document of the enlargement of the EU, which Radio Free Europe has seen.

The EU has prepared the conclusions for the expansion of the bloc, which should be approved on Tuesday, December 17, at the meeting of EU Ministers.

In the draft of these conclusions, the EU also calls on Kosovo and Serbia to implement the dialogue agreements and all other obligations without delay, as well as reminding them that the journey of both countries towards European integration depends precisely on these from these obligations.

"The Council reiterates that the Agreement on the path towards the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the Annex for its implementation, approved in February and March 2023, must be respected and fully implemented as soon as possible without preconditions, as all other obligations from the EU", this document states.

In particular, Kosovo is requested to start work on the approval of the draft European statute for the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority.

"This includes the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, starting with the forwarding of the draft statute, which the EU facilitator has presented to the parties, through the decision of the Government of Kosovo in the Constitutional Court of Kosovo without new delays", it is said in this draft.

In October 2023, the EU submitted to Kosovo and Serbia a "modern draft statute" for the formation of the Association. The United States, Germany, France and Italy - supported it.

Since then, the United States and the European Union have repeatedly called on Kosovo to send this draft statute to the Constitutional Court.

Officials of Prime Minister Albin Kurti's Government have described the European draft statute as "non-paper".

Last month, Kurti's spokesman, Përparim Kryeziu, said that the European draft statute "is that of a non-paper", and that the prime minister has not accepted it, despite the EU's insistence that Kurti and the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, accepted this draft status in principle last year.

In its conclusions, the EU also mentions the current situation in the north of Kosovo, after an explosion in a water channel of Ibër-Lepenci in Zubin Potok last month.

Kosovo blames Serbia for the attack, which is denied by official Belgrade.

In these conclusions, the attack on the Ibër-Lepenci canal, which the EU had condemned as a terrorist attack, as well as the attack in Banjska last year, will be condemned, and the invitation will be repeated for those responsible for these attacks to be brought to justice.

"The Council remains deeply concerned about the situation in the north of Kosovo. "Kosovo and Serbia must take sustainable steps for de-escalation, refrain from unilateral and provocative actions that can lead to tensions and violence, and avoid divisive rhetoric", the draft of this document states.

The EU will also reiterate that measures against Kosovo are in force, but can be lifted if appropriate steps are taken to reduce tensions.

According to diplomatic sources, there are big differences between the member countries regarding the measures towards Kosovo. Most member states want the measures to be lifted immediately and completely, but there are countries, such as France and Italy, that want a gradual lifting. Therefore, these differences are somehow influenced so that the measures still remain in force.

The EU imposed several punitive measures against Kosovo last year due to increased tensions in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

In the Conclusions for enlargement, the EU will renew that it remains committed to continue this process, which it sees as a strategic interest of the bloc. But, it will ask the countries of the region to engage in regional cooperation and the resolution of bilateral disagreements, in order to accelerate their journey towards the EU.

Kosovo has applied for membership in the European Union on December 15, 2022.

Since then, the EU Council presidency has been shared between five member states: the Czech Republic, Sweden, Spain, Belgium and Hungary. The first one accepted the application, but none of the others reviewed it.

Kosovo is the only country in the Balkans that still does not have the status of a candidate country./REL