BRUSSELS – European Union is firmly committed to the integration perspective of the Western Balkans, but will not comment on press reports concerning a potential Special Envoy for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, stated EEAS Spokesperson Maja Kocijančič for our portal.
Following a series of articles reporting on the potential agreement between France and Germany about the appointment of a person that would serve as a EU Special Envoy to the region and possibly be in charge of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, European Western Balkans asked whether any formal steps within the EU institutions have already been taken.
According to Kocijančič, EU will use all the available means to advance European integration of the region and Western Balkans Strategy, in close cooperation with the region, EU Member States as well as its partners globally.
“Beyond that, we don’t comment on press reports”, Kocijančič said.
She reminded that the EU also has a strong network of delegations in the region. In addition, the High Representative on the basis of the United Nations General Assembly’s mandate facilitates Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.
It was exactly the background and future mandate of the newly nominated High Representative, Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell, that triggered the conversation about appointing a person that would be solely in charge of the normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, the media report.
According to both Radio Free Europe and Politika daily, there are concerns about Borrell’s ability to facilitate the dialogue both in terms of capacities, since his mandate seems more ambitious than before, as well as his alleged lack of credibility since he is coming from a member state which does not recognize Kosovo.
It is Berlin that is playing the main role in this initiative, and it wants the Special Envoy to be nominated by Germany, Radio Free Europe reports.
This claim was later clarified by the German Embassy in Kosovo, which stated that the EU should have the main role in mediating the process, Tanjug reports.
United States nominated Matthew Palmer as a Special Representative for the Western Balkans in August, after which he stated that Kosovo and Serbia will be one of his main focuses.