The European Union’s special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, accompanied by two newly appointed advisers of Germany and France for the dialogue, will visit Pristina and Belgrade on September 9.
The purpose of the visit is to “explore options for progress in the dialogue”, EU spokesman Peter Stano told Radio Free Europe.
“During the visit, separate meetings are planned with the Prime Minister [of Kosovo, Albin] Kurti and the President [of Serbia, Aleksandar] Vucic”, confirmed Stano.
The German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron, announced on Saturday that they have engaged their advisers to support the dialogue for the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
In a letter sent to Kurt and Vucic, the two main EU leaders called on them to show maximum determination and willingness to take difficult decisions, which will bring progress in the dialogue.
“The complete normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is essential for the Western Balkans”, it was said, among other things, in the letter.
Speaking about the REL, Stano said that the EU “wants to do as much as possible to help both sides to find the necessary compromises” and to “bring the dialogue to an end”.
Lajcak, together with the US envoy for the Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, stayed in Kosovo and Serbia at the end of August.
After their diplomatic engagements, the two countries reached an agreement on the free movement of citizens, namely on the removal of entry/exit documents.
Serbia, for more than a decade, has issued special documents for citizens of Kosovo, who have entered its territory.
When the Government of Kosovo took reciprocal measures from August 1, some local Serbs in the north of the country rebelled and set up barricades to prevent the authorities from implementing their decision.
Due to the increase in tensions and with the suggestion of the international community, official Pristina has postponed the implementation of that decision for 30 days.
But, in the meantime, an agreement has been reached on the abolition of entry/exit documents from both sides.
Kosovo and Serbia have been in talks for the normalization of relations since 2011.
Currently, the issue of car license plates remains a challenge.
On September 1, the Government of Kosovo started implementing its decision on the re-registration of cars with license plates issued by Serbia in RKS – Republic of Kosovo.
Belgrade expects negotiations on this issue as well, namely it proposes a neutral license plate with respect to the status of Kosovo, but Pristina rejects this.
Asked about planning any possible round of talks between the main bearers of the dialogue, Kurti and Vucic, Stano said:
“For this, we always have to have an agreement from both sides. This means that they must agree on the time and agenda of that meeting”.
Kurti and Vucic met for the last time on August 18, after the tensions in the north, but no agreement came out of that meeting.
