Austrian diplomatic chief: Normalising relations between Kosovo, Serbia has no alternative

Responding to the question of Austria's People's Party deputy (OVP), Andreas Minich, who is a member of the Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia and chairman of Austrian society “Kosovo's”, Schalenberg has stressed that the ministry he currently heads is dealing with relations between Serbia and Kosovo to a considerable extent.

Minich noted that Serbia and Kosovo have complicated relations and that the EU and Austria are trying to mediate and promote rapprochement between the two countries. He also said that the year 2023 should be in which Serbia and Kosovo will normalise relations.

Minich asked Schallenberg what his assessment of further normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo is, as well as whether he supports Kosovo's EU and Council of Europe bid in the current situation.

Shalenberg stressed that relations between Serbia and Kosovo are in the focus of his ministry, and added that both sides have problems with the plan to implement the agreement. “Normising relations has no alternative”, Schalenberg stressed, who expressed a positive attitude about recently reached agreements.

He has also stressed that he supports Kosovo's membership process in the European Union.