Holland: Kosovo, Serbia to fulfil obligations from dialogue, including Association

U.K. Ambassador to O The SEU, Neil Holland, welcomed the Kosovo government's decision to lift the import ban on Serbian goods and urged Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in EU-led dialogue and fulfil their obligations, including the establishment of the Serb majority municipalities' association.

At O Permanent Council session SBE in Vienna where Mission Report O submitted The SEU in Kosovo, Holland said it praised the mission's work for monitoring the situation and early warning in light of continued tensions in northern Kosovo.

The United Kingdom shares the assessment of the report on the disturbing lack of progress towards normalising relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which continues to have negative implications for the daily life of ordinary citizens and for broader stability in the Western Balkans”, Holland said.

In this context, he welcomed the Kosovo Government's recent decision to lift the embargo on Serbian goods as a positive step towards enabling free trade throughout the Western Balkans.

“We continue to call on Kosovo and Serbia to engage constructively in the EU-led dialogue and to fulfil their obligations, including the establishment of the Serb majority community of municipalities”, the ambassador said, broadcasts the Coom.

He added that the United Kingdom will continue to encourage Kosovo to ensure that non-US communities can play a full and equal role in the future.

“We have clearly told all of the conversationors that all activities affecting the well-being of Kosovo Serbs and other non-communication communities require careful consultation with Kosovo friends and security partners in order to avoid promoting tensions and putting the most vulnerable in a disadvantaged position. All non-US communities must be free to exercise their democratic rights and continue to integrate into Kosovo society. We continue to encourage Kosovo Serbs to participate in the democratic process, take part in public service, and serve their communities.

He reiterated that it is important to ensure justice and responsibility for all acts of violence.

“We continue to call on Serbia to co-operate fully in efforts to assume responsibility for the shocking attack on Banjska in September 2023 and on KFOR troops in May of that year, and act to print cross-border arms smuggling”, the ambassador added.

He welcomed mission work O The SBE over the past six months on three main pillars, adding that it praises the ongoing support of the Mission for government institutions for human rights and relations with communities, including addressing concerns about the property rights of non-S majority communities.

“We welcome the continuation of the Mission's work on resolving challenges regarding the right to freedom of confidence and preservation of cultural heritage. We also appreciate the mission's support for the CEC in modernising the Kosovo election process, which will be especially important, ahead of parliamentary elections in February 2025x1>, Holland said.

He said the United Kingdom remains a powerful supporter of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state and committed to supporting a comprehensive, diverse and multiethnic democracy in Kosovo and its full participation in the international system.