BRUSSELS – After almost two years of stagnation, Serbia and Kosovo are returning to the negotiating table on Thursday. This was the conclusion the video meeting held yesterday between the President of Serbia, the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the EU mediators, at which the agenda for a new round of dialogue was set.
“As a result of today’s meeting, we agreed on the main elements of the process and we also agreed on the agenda of the next meeting to be held this Thursday in Brussels,” said EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue Miroslav Lajčak.
He thanked the partners for their constructive engagement to continue the dialogue that was interrupted almost two years ago by the introduction of 100% tariffs on goods from Serbia by the Government of Kosovo at the time.
The European Union’s High Representative Josep Borrell expressed satisfaction with the resumption of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, saying that it will require political courage from both sides.
Borrell emphasised that these talks require political will and commitment from both sides.
“The talks will require political courage from both sides, it will require commitment and engagement in the spirit of compromise and pragmatism. It has never been easy to find solutions to problems that lasted for so long and were so painful but this is why we are here today to try again,” he said.
“We know that it is not an easy process. It has never been. But there is urgency to work towards peace and prosperity for the sake of our common future”, Borrell added.
The High Representative repeated that the main aim of the process is the final and legally binding normalisation agreement.
It is still unknown what President Vučić and Prime Minister Hoti will discuss in Brussels.