The Ohrid Agreement is officially part of the EU-Serbia negotiations

2024-04-23 10:11:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Ohrid Agreement is officially part of the EU-Serbia negotiations

Aleksander Vucic and Albin Kurti

The EU establishes a new negotiating framework for Serbia in the 35th chapter for EU membership. The Council of Ministers of the EU will discuss the punitive measures imposed on Kosovo on the basis of Josep Borrell's report.

The full implementation of the agreement for the normalization of relations with Kosovo, which was reached last year in Ohrid, North Macedonia, is now an official part of the 35th chapter for Serbia in the negotiations for its EU membership. This change of chapter 35 was made by the foreign ministers of the member countries of the European Union during a meeting that was held in Luxembourg. It was said there that the position will be transmitted to Serbia by means of a letter.

In the new text of the negotiating framework, it is emphasized that "Serbia fully implements the obligations arising from the Agreement on the way to the normalization of relations with Kosovo, according to the Annex of its implementation, as agreed on March 18, 2023". The Council of Ministers said that "the parties (Kosovo and Serbia) have agreed that their respective obligations arising from the Agreement become an integral part of their paths towards European integration". There has been no reaction from the Belgrade authorities regarding the new EU negotiation framework for Serbia.

The Ohrid Agreement and its freezing

In February of last year, Kosovo and Serbia agreed on a normalization agreement, based on a plan known as the Franco-German initiative. A few days later, on March 18, in Ohrid, North Macedonia, they also agreed on the guidelines for the implementation of the agreement. It requires good neighborly relations between Kosovo and Serbia, recognition of documents and symbols and respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The plan also envisages the fulfillment of all agreements previously reached in the talks mediated by the European Union. On October 27 of last year, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni asked Kosovo to start the procedure for the establishment of the Association of Municipalities with a Serbian majority, while Serbia to recognize the de-facto citizenship of Kosovo. But during this period, Kosovo-Serbia relations became tense, especially in the north of the country with the departure of Serbs from institutions, which culminated in the September 24 attack in Banjska, when a group of Serbs killed a Kosovo policeman. The northern Serbs in four municipalities, North Mitrovica, Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok, also boycotted the referendum on Sunday, April 21, to remove the Albanian mayors from office. The organization of this referendum was also a condition of the EU for official Pristina to escalate the situation in the north. Kosovo was punished with the imposition of measures by the EU for its uncoordinated actions earlier.

Kosovo demands the removal of punitive measures

Although the Serbs refused to participate in the referendum, the Kosovo authorities asked the European Union to lift the punitive measures imposed last year. The Government of Kosovo called on the European Union on Monday to remove the punitive measures, after fulfilling the obligations for holding the voting process for the removal of the presidents in the north of the country. "With the end of this process, regardless of the result, Kosovo has fulfilled its obligation to its citizens and the responsibility taken from the agreement with the European Union for the extension of the situation in the north of the country", says a government communique.

The European Union expressed regret that Kosovo Serbs in the north lost the chance to exercise their right to vote and elect mayors who would be their representatives. "The result does not contribute to easing tensions and opening the way for the return of Serbs to the institutions of Kosovo", says the EU's response. Regarding the Kosovo government's call for the removal of punitive measures, according to EU spokesperson Peter Stano, "The Council will discuss the measures of the European Union on the basis of a report by the High Representative, Josep Borrell on the fulfillment of EU requirements"./ DW