Scholz - Vucic: Implement the Ohrid Agreement

2024-05-13 14:30:46, Kosova & Bota CNA

Scholz - Vucic: Implement the Ohrid Agreement

Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz

The Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, has asked Serbia to implement the Agreement on the way to the normalization of relations with Kosovo, which is also known as the Ohrid Agreement.

During a phone call with the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, according to Berlin's announcement, Scholz emphasized the importance of dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which is mediated by the European Union.

"Germany has reaffirmed its support for this process. He [Scholz] has clarified Serbia's obligations for the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement", the announcement said.

Kosovo and Serbia reached this agreement, together with the Annex for its implementation, last year. The agreement has not been signed, but the mediator has said that it is legally binding for the parties.

The European bloc has said that the parties have not started its implementation.

The 11-article agreement, among other things, foresees a level of self-management for the Serbian community in Kosovo and mutual recognition of state symbols, while asking Pristina and Belgrade to implement all previous agreements reached during the dialogue.

Meanwhile, Vucic, through a post on "Instagram", said that he talked with Scholz about the situation of Serbs living in Kosovo and about the issue of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority.

The Serbian leader said that he informed the German chancellor "in detail about the almost unbearable situation for the Serbian community in Kosovo", but also about "the continuous avoidance of Pristina from fulfilling its accepted and signed obligations, especially in relation to the formation of the Association ".

Within the dialogue for the normalization of relations, which is mediated by the European Union, Kosovo and Serbia have reached two agreements for the establishment of the Association, in 2013 and 2015.

But, in 2015, the Constitutional Court of Kosovo found that the Agreement on the principles for the establishment of the Association was not in full harmony with the highest legal act of the state, saying that it should be harmonized through sub-legal acts.

However, successive governments of Kosovo refused to implement the agreement, expressing fear that such a single association could affect the proper functioning of the state.

Germany, together with other countries in the EU, but also the United States, constantly call on Kosovo to establish the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has also said that the executive he leads refuses to accept that the Association is a condition for the country's admission to the Council of Europe organization.

"The government does not accept the conditionality of membership in KiE with the Association. For the normalization of relations with Serbia, we talk in Brussels, not in Strasbourg", Kurti said on May 8.

Vucic, during the conversation with Scholz, also asked Germany for support in the path of European integration.

"I reiterated that Serbia constantly advocates for the intensification of diplomatic activities in the context of all current conflicts and open issues burdening Europe and the Western Balkan region, which it has always demonstrated in all forums and initiatives," Vucic wrote on the account his Instagram.

There are currently ten countries in the EU enlargement process, including six countries from the Western Balkans. Of the countries that are in this process, nine have the status of a candidate country, while only Kosovo does not have that status. Kosovo had applied for EU membership in December 2022, but its request has not been reviewed by the European Union./ REL