The EC appreciates Kosovo's progress, encourages it to normalize relations with Serbia

2024-10-30 22:53:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The EC appreciates Kosovo's progress, encourages it to normalize relations

The European Commission published on Wednesday the annual progress reports for countries aiming for EU membership.

In the document on Kosovo, it is stated that the country's authorities remain committed to the path towards European integration.

While recalling that Kosovo submitted its application for EU membership in December 2022, the report states that the Commission is ready to prepare an opinion on its application, when requested by the Council.

It is recalled that the holders of biometric passports in Kosovo enjoy the visa-free travel regime to the EU, since January 1 of this year, while from October, holders of Serbian passports, issued by the Coordinating Directorate, have the same right. Serbian.

The report states that tensions in the north of Kosovo have continued as a result of the violent attack against the Kosovo Police by armed Serb attackers on September 24, 2023.

The Progress Report describes the attack in Banjska as "the most serious escalation in recent years".

"Other crises were caused by issues related to land expropriation by the Government in the north; from the adoption of a Central Bank regulation on cash transactions, which negatively affected Kosovo Serbs and other non-majority communities; from police operations to close the offices of Belgrade-run institutions that provided assistance to non-majority communities; and from the continuous ban on the import of goods of Serbian origin", the report states, among other things.

These issues further damaged the relations between the Government of Kosovo and the Serbian community of the country, according to the report.

It is emphasized there that the situation between Kosovo and Serbia has remained tense, even though there has been progress in the normalization of relations between them.

"Notable achievements include the historic agreements agreed in February and March, 2023 [for the normalization of relations], preparatory steps in establishing the Association/Community of Kosovo Serb Majority Municipalities, advances in the energy sector and commitments to address the issue of missing persons", says the report.

"Kosovo has pledged to fully implement all its relevant obligations arising from the Agreement on the Road to Normalization [of Relations with Serbia] and its Implementation Annex, as well as from all past agreements," the report states. .

According to him, Kosovo has made progress in the fight against organized crime, while the business environment in the country has also improved.

In this document, Kosovo is encouraged to intensify its efforts to strengthen the rule of law and public administration, as well as to protect freedom of expression.

It also states that the Government should work to create cross-party political support to more effectively pursue reforms related to the EU.

"Kosovo must implement the Agreement on the Normalization Path and its Annex and all past agreements without further delays or preconditions", the Progress Report also emphasizes.

The European Commission makes a similar request in the Progress Report for Serbia.

"The agreement is valid and legally binding for the parties and all the formalities, including its approval or 'formalization', should not hinder the progress in its implementation", it is emphasized in the Progress Report for Serbia.

Both countries agree that the normalization of relations remains an essential condition on their European path and that both risk losing important opportunities in the absence of progress in this direction.

Kosovo and Serbia have been in negotiations for the normalization of relations since 2011.

Despite dozens of agreements reached, many of them are not implemented in practice.

The parties accuse each other of lack of commitment./REL