Official: Even the EU turns its back on Kurti, urgently calls for the full removal of the fee (Letra)

Borrell has turned his back on the Kurti Government, urgently demanding the full removal of the fee on goods imported by Serbia in order to finally open the dialogue, Periscope follows.

Kurti had hoped that at least there would be support from the European Union for his decision to gradually remove the tax, which was initially supported.

We remember that this letter follows tense relations between Kosovo and the United States, precisely in terms of the fee.

Borrell in this letter has asked him to lead the talks with Serbia.

The following is his full letter.

Thank you for your letter of March 3, 2020.

I'm glad that your relationship with the EU has been placed as your main job, this well matches the EU's priority approach to the entire region, including Kosovo. Likewise, I welcome your goal in continuing the necessary reforms to push ahead with rule of law, economic development and good governance in Kosovo; These are key elements for your future.

Your personal commitment to fully achieving normalisation of relations with Serbia is an important part on your European path. Your determination is warmly welcomed by the European Union and member states. I believe that as prime minister you will lead with negotiations on dialogue in a comprehensive way. The normalisation of relations with Serbia would have to be a unifying project on domestic policy, because it would gain broad political support from all political leadership.

As you know, the European Union and its member states strongly believe that the resumption of dialogue talks is necessary and urgent and will require full tariff removal. As we have repeated, we also expect Serbia to do its part, to resume the process.

I welcomed your announcement last week for the tariffs, which presents a good first step in the right direction. We need full tariff removal. In this context I fully agree with you that past agreements and remaining obligations must be fully implemented. Serbia, like Kosovo, must fulfil pledges to implement those agreements.

In your letter you have mentioned monitoring and sanctioning mechanisms: The European Union has established concrete and comprehensive mechanisms since the beginning of the dialogue to ensure that both sides adhere to its commitments in existing and future agreements.

Ministers of member states have been regularly informed in the Council by the High Representative/ Vice President, and I plan to continue this practice. Member states are also regularly informed of how far both sides adhere to dialogue commitments, respectively, as part of implementing the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in Kosovo, the Special Group for normalising relations with Serbia, and as in part of Serbia's membership process under chapter 35.

Following our last phone conversation, I would like to confirm that I have already formally proposed to the member states the appointment of Miroslav Lajcak, as the EU special representative for dialogue and the Western Balkans, to assist me as EU facilitator. I hope he can start work as soon as possible. For my part, I pledge to remain nearly engaged in this process and do my best to move it forward as quickly and effectively. A positive result would both benefit Kosovo and Serbia, the wider region and the EU itself at the end.

In the meantime, I welcome the meeting with you in the near future in Brussels, continue our discussions and offer you the help of the European Union's Foreign Action (EEAS) in your preparation for the resumption of dialogue.

Your Loyally

Josep Borrell Fontles