Call for visa waivers, Kurti's meeting with Vucicin, everything that happened at the summit in Slovenia

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said he welcomes the declaration signed during this summit, but he said during his speech that it should mention “confronting the past” because according to him, “is a necessary part of efforts for reconciliation.

Kurti has also said that this Sam should condemn Serbia's actions, while citing Serbian aircraft flights near the border with Kosovo, at the time when at border points in Jarinje and Brnjak, local Serbs rejected Kosovo's decision to impose reciprocity for license plates with Serbia.

“The MiG-29 combat planes flew along the border, while Russia's ambassador to Belgrade went to the border point to inspect the collection of Serb troops there”, Kurti said, announced his office through a news release.

During the summit, Kurti has demanded that the EU lift visas for Kosovo citizens.

In Slovenia, Kurti also met with EU diplomatic chief Josep Borrell,

Borrell, as reportedly in the Kosovo Government communiqué, has said that after reaching the license agreement for license plates on September 30th, Kosovo and Serbia should use this as a moment to speed up efforts to reach a final agreement, within the EU-brokered dialogue.

“Prime Minister Kurti on the other side said reciprocity will be the principle on which the actions of the state of Kosovo” will be based, said the announcement and added that Borrell and Kurti agreed that dialogue is the platform through which parties can resolve unresolved issues.

Kurti-Vucciq meeting

Under this summit, Kurti has held a meeting with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and France's President Emmanuel Macron were present at this meeting.

Prime Minister Kurti, through a Twitter post, told about the topics he said were discussed at this meeting.

At the meeting with Chancellor Merkel, President Macron and Serbia's president, we talked about the Berlin Process, about free movement and recognition of diplomas. We support agreements where all Western Balkan states are treated equally and which benefit citizens”, he wrote on Twitter.

At the Brdo summit, Kosovo was represented by the prime minister, Albin Kurti, Foreign Affairs Minister Donika Grovalla and Finance, Labour and Transfers Minister Hekuran Murati.

Vuciq: We cannot enter the EU without resolving issues with Kosovo

Meanwhile, the Serbian president, Vuciq, during a media conference in Brdo, said his state would not be able to join the European Union unless it resolves unresolved issues with Kosovo.

“has prospects for enlargement, but it is clear that not all members (of the EU) have the same appetite”, Vuciq told reporters in Brdo.

“Pa resolving issues with Pristina, Serbia will not be able to join the EU”, he added, Reuters reported.

Michel: EU willing to mediate differences Balkan states have

European Council President Charles Michel has said Wednesday that the Western Balkan region is important strategy for the European Union.

He has cited the fight against corruption, saying this key topic is important for implementation even within the countries of the European Union themselves.

According to him, the EU has allocated an unprecedented amount of funds to offer this region with the European bloc through carrying out needed reforms.

At a media conference, after meeting between EU leaders and the Western Balkans, he has said the European bloc is willing to mediate differences that are the result of past conflicts.

“However, political decisions must be made to achieve progress”, he stated.

He has also talked about the enlargement process, saying there is an ongoing debate among EU member states on accepting new members.

On this subject, it is clear that progress is yet to be achieved, we have to decide together what we want to do together as the EU, as we want to make decisions”, Michel said.

EU chief: Our Goal Is Enlargement

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyeen has later said at the news conference that the European Commission's message is very clear.

The Western Balkans is part of the same Europe as the European Union. We share the same story, the same interests and I'm convinced we share the same fate. The European Union is not complete without the Western Balkans”, it has stated, saying it will work to push forward the region's membership process in the European bloc.

She has said that during visits she has made to Western Balkan countries last week, she has noted citizens' impatience as a result of extending the membership process.

“I understand this”, she said, emphasising the need to make reforms in these countries, though, according to her, in some areas progress is observable.

She has in particular cited the fact that she does not engage in membership talks with Albania and Northern Macedonia, and has said she rejoices that on Wednesday this issue has been addressed in order to clarify the process and overcome the differences that exist between Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria, which has vetoed.

Spain refuses presentation of Kosovo symbols

Even this Sam developed without state symbols.

The Spanish daily from the Catalonia region, El Nacional has reported on Wednesday that Spanish Government President Pedro Sanchez is participating in the Brdo Summit, but it is guaranteed that at meetings there will be no state symbols, as Spain does not recognise Kosovo citizenship.

This regular summit was held last year through video connection, due to the coronary pandemic, while in 2018 the former Spanish president, Mariano Rajoy, did not participate because of Kosovo's participation.

Even at the meeting through video connection, symbols identifying Kosovo as a state have been avoided.

Along with Spain, four other European Union states do not recognise Kosovo citizenship: Greece, Romania, Cyprus and Slovakia.

Borrell: Enlargement urges states to overcome differences

EU foreign policy and security chief Josep Borrell before the summit said that the road to the EU and the states of the Western Balkans requires states to exceed the differences between them so that they can move towards the European bloc.

He said that at the Brdo summit, the EU should give signals for the continuation of the enlargement process, but he said the states should also work to overcome the differences they have and the EU to fulfil its pledges.

“Road to the EU, the enlargement process requires them (states) to overcome their differences and continue with reforms. But, we will provide a reliable continuation of the enlargement process”, Borrell stressed.

According to a statement that has seen Radio Free Europe, which was adopted on Wednesday, the European Union supports the European perspective of Western Balkan states and “affirms its commitment to the European bloc's” enlargement process.

But, according to the statement, the enlargement process will be based on reforms “creditable by partners, fair and rigorous conditioning and based on individual merit principles”.

“We also repeat the importance of the EU maintaining and deepening its development, making sure of its capacity to integrate new members”, mentioned among other things in the statement.

Of the Balkan states, Montenegro and Serbia have mostly advanced on the road to the EU, meanwhile, Albania and Northern Macedonia have not yet opened membership negotiations, as Bulgaria has ruled veto, due to disagreements it has with official Skopje in terms of Macedonian identity, history and language.

Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina remain last, where no steps have been made towards opening membership negotiations. In Kosovo's case, there are five EU states (Spanja, Greece, Cyprus, Slovakia and Romania), which still do not recognise Kosovo's independence, and the EU takes a neutral stance on Kosovo's status.

In this document, the term “partner” refers to the states of the Western Balkans. The statement also states say that these states should undertake a series of reforms and re-exemplise the commitment of these states to democracy, respect for fundamental rights and rule of law, fight against organised crime and corruption, good governance, gender equality and respect for the rights of non-US communities.

It also stresses that normalisation of reports between Kosovo and Serbia remains critical of the region.

“We fully support the EU special envoy's efforts for the Pristina-Belgrade dialogue (v.j. Miroslav Lajcak) and we expect concrete progress on both sides in the full normalisation of relations, which is critical of the stability and development of the entire region, and to ensure that they can continue on their respective ways towards the EU”, the statement is mentioned.

The dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which started in 2011, is reportedly aimed at reaching a comprehensive, legally binding agreement for normalising the reports.

The statement also mentions the security challenges facing the EU and the Western Balkans, such as hybrid threats, dezinforms, organised crime, radicalism and others, which require closer co-operation.

Migrating management is also cited as a common challenge, with particular emphasis posing “the serious situation in Afghanistan”.

“The EU will work with all partners, including those of the Western Balkans, to respond to challenges and co-operate the common response”, is highlighted in the statement, when it comes to Afghanistan.

The summit in Brdo is commissioned by the Slovenian EU presidency. This summit is part of the EU's strategy for engagement with the Western Balkans that is in line with the 2019-2024 Strategic Agency and is held after the 2020 and Zagreb Summit, held through video conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic. / REL