3 minutes agoEU: Kosovo's education and health issues addressed in dialogue
Periskopi(2 years ago)
(2 years ago)The European Union said it is carefully following developments in northern Kosovo related to the functioning of services supported by Serbia. The bloc's spokesman, Peter Stano, said these issues should be addressed within the Brussels dialogue for normalisation of reports between Kosovo and Serbia. “We are following developments and [...]
“We are following developments and are aware of reports of the arrest of a Serbian school principal in Kosovo”.
“I can remember that the EU has been very, very clear that the status and transition of certain services supported by Serbia, especially the school and educational system, should be addressed in the EU facilitated dialogue, in parallel with the establishment of the Association of Serb majority municipalities, which is the constant obligation of Kosovo authorities”, Stano said, calling for restraint from unilateral steps.
The Kosovo government, led by Albin Kurti, has taken several actions in the north, which have been criticised by the international factor.
Kosovo's executive has banned the use of the Serbian dinar, has closed several branches of Serbian mail, as well as parallel institutions, saying they have violated Kosovo's constitutionality.
The unilateral steps that reduce access to these services -- health or education -- would have a negative effect on people's daily life and on living conditions for Serbs and other communities in Kosovo. This would be Kosovo's failure to comply with obligations from the Kosovo integration process”, Stano said.
Responding to questions about Serbia's threats that it could withdraw from dialogue, Stano said dialogue is a condition for both Kosovo and Serbia in the EU integration process. He said that no progress in the dialogue will be made, even in the integration process.
The EU facilitated dialogue is based on the need and readiness of both sides to reach an EU aid agreement. This is something the parties have requested and supported by the EU and the United Nations. So we will facilitate dialogue as long as the parties are in dialogue and as long as they are interested in the EU membership process. If there is no dialogue there will be no integration process”, Stano said.
Kosovo and Serbia hold dialogue in Brussels since 2011. The process, which is backed by the United States, is aimed at normalising reports among countries. The sides have reached dozens of agreements, but most of them have not been implemented.
