Consultations lead to new EU proposal for ties between Serbia and Kosovo

Tirana — The EU has drafted a new proposal for the normalisation of ties between Kosovo and Serbia with a clear timeline of actions, according to a senior EU diplomat, speaking on the sidelines of the EU-Western Balkans summit on Tuesday.

The draft proposal was sent to both parties on Monday, the diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. The diplomat added that the EU expects the two parties will reach a final agreement in less than a year.

“There are a lot of things that make it a big step forward with respect to the current situation ... It’s not full recognition ... but it is a full normalisation of relations,” the diplomat said.

Belgrade and Pristina committed to an EU-sponsored dialogue in 2013 to resolve outstanding issues, but little progress has been made. Agreement with Kosovo remains one of the main preconditions for Serbia joining the EU.

“After listening to both parties, we redrafted the proposal,” the diplomat said. The proposal contains an annex “with a clear calendar of actions — when and how things have to happen”, the diplomat said.

They urged Pristina and Belgrade “to continue in their constructive engagement, and focus on making irreversible progress in normalisation”.

On Tuesday in Tirana both Kosovo President Vjosa Osmani-Sadriu and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said they remain committed to an EU-sponsored dialogue.

“We believe that the dialogue that is led by the EU and fully supported by the US is the only way forward towards reaching a final agreement that is centred on mutual recognition,” Osmani-Sadriu said. She added Kosovo will apply for EU membership by the end of the year.

Serbia lost control of Kosovo in 1999 after 11 weeks of Nato air strikes to halt the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians in a Serbian counterinsurgency.

Recently, tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared when authorities in Kosovo moved to implement a decision to replace Serbian-issued car licence plates in regions where ethnic Serbs form the majority with the one issued by Kosovo authorities.

“We’ve always encouraged the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which has to take place in good faith for both sides,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

“Unless this issue is resolved — and in order for it to be resolved both sides need to take a step back — it will be difficult to make the necessary progress regarding completing the integration of the Western Balkans in the European family,” he said.

Five Western Balkan states — Albania, Bosnia, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia — are at different stages of an EU entry process.

Reuters