Von der Leyen: Kosovo to accept the Association, Serbia de facto recognition

The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reiterated the European position that Kosovo should establish the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority and Serbia should de facto recognize Kosovo.

After the meeting with the president of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, the European official said that the draft statute recently proposed by the European diplomats is at the center of the negotiations for the removal of the punitive measures that the EU has imposed on Kosovo earlier in the year, after the increase of tensions.

"What I discussed with the president, and what I will discuss with the prime minister, is what we can do to remove the [punitive] measures. Here the issue of the draft statute is at the center of the discussions and practically it is an important step forward in the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia. It is crucial and will certainly open the door to access the [EU's] growth plan. We are working in this direction. Here we need both sides to do their part, but it is also crucial that not only there is an extension of the situation but also that it moves on the road to the EU", said von der Leyen.

Osmani also said that in the meeting with the European official, he requested the removal of punitive measures, which the EU decided after the increase of tensions in the north at the end of May.

A proposal for the Association's draft statute was presented to Kosovo and Serbia during the meetings of international diplomats on October 21. The EU has said that this proposal is a European model.

On October 26, the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the president of Serbia, Aleksadar Vučić, held separate meetings with EU officials and the leaders of France, Italy and Germany in Brussels.

Kurti stated that the draft proposed for the Association is in accordance with the Constitution of Kosovo. He also stated that he was ready to sign an agreement for the normalization of relations, but Vuçiqi did not agree to this.

Vucic, meanwhile, said that Serbia is ready to respect the Agreement towards normalization - that the parties reached earlier in the year - but only the parts that do not include the recognition of Kosovo and Kosovo's membership in the United Nations.

As for the draft statute for the Association, Osmani said that this document will be subject to the evaluation of the Constitutional Court and he did not want to state whether he thinks it is in accordance with the Constitution.

"At the last meeting in Brussels [on October 26], Kosovo has shown all readiness to organize a signing process, starting with the Basic Agreement, because most things are regulated there, including the Annex [of implementation] and the draft statute ", said Osmani.

"I will also give my evaluations in writing when the aforementioned steps take place. So, if we have a signature process. Then, when this draft statute goes to the Constitutional Court, as the president of the Republic, he will send all comments in writing, which parts of that draft should be clarified so that the implementation is in full accordance with our Constitution", the president added. of Kosovo.

Meanwhile, when asked if the EU will impose conditions or sanctions on Serbia, since the Serbian president, Aleksandar Vučić, has declared that he cannot fully implement the agreement towards the normalization of relations, von der Leyen said that during his visit to Belgrade on Tuesday to discuss the steps towards Belgrade's de facto recognition of Pristina.

The EU official said that the bloc is committed to the membership of the Western Balkans. However, she said that all countries that want to become part of the EU must respect the principle of good neighborliness.

"The main issue of the discussions we have with the countries of the Western Balkans, like with Kosovo and Serbia, is how we can work more closely together and of course the potential membership in the EU. For this [membership], the basic principles, the basic values ​​must are respected and implemented. Therefore it is the choice of a state when it wants to move forward, with all the positive effects it has on the economy and financing, on greater business opportunities... so it is the sovereign choice of a state if it wants to move forward on the road with us, or choose otherwise. The principle of the EU is the normalization of neighborly relations, of good neighborly relations," said the head of the EC.

The European official is on a Balkan tour to unveil the EU investment plan for the Western Balkans. This growth plan covers the figure of 6 billion euros, where 2.1 million of them are in the form of grants and another 4 billion in the form of loans.

Von der Leyen said the bloc wants to have an economic alignment with the Western Balkan markets, so that there are more opportunities for companies.

Speaking about the reforms in Kosovo, she said that there is progress, but that work is still needed in reforms in various sectors, such as in improving the climate of doing business, in the fight against corruption and reforms in the judiciary.

Before Pristina, she stayed in Skopje, while the tour will continue in Podgorica, Belgrade and Sarajevo./rel