EP: Lack of success in Kosovo-Serbia dialogue undermines EU credibility

The European Parliament (PE) has said in a resolution that approved Thursday that the credibility of the European Union (BE) is marred by the lack of success in dialogue mediated by the bloc between Kosovo and Serbia.

In the resolution adopted for EU foreign policy and security results, through which it speaks of the need for increased EU influence in the world and a more determined approach to the Western Balkan region, the EP also warns Kosovo and Serbia of consequences if the implementation of dialogue agreements is lacking.

But the EP called on the European Union to change access to dialogue in order to make progress.

“We plan the EU to adopt a new approach to intermediate between parties in order to overcome the current impasse. We recall that the failure of this dialogue will also reflect on the EU's role as a reliable factor in foreign policy”, the text of this report says.

This is a very comprehensive report involving topics from EU reports with the United States, co-operation with NATO, strengthening European defence capacities, fighting deinformation campaigns, to the situation in the Western Balkans region, including reports between Kosovo and Serbia.

As far as Kosovo is concerned in this report “has been defending the terrorist attack on police officials on September 24th in Banjscan in the Republic of Kosovo, as well as other provocations”.

On 24 September, a group of armed Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police in Zvecan Banjska, killing Sergeant Africa Bulnjak. Three attackers were killed during the shootout.

Milan Radociq, former deputy chairman of the Serbian List, led by the main Serb party in Kosovo, enjoyed the support of official Belgrade.

Kosovo blamed Serbia for the attack, which denied any involvement but has released Radojchi since, provided she does not travel towards Kosovo.

In this resolution, the European Parliament demands that all those responsible for terrorist attacks in northern Kosovo “be brought to justice and requires that, if proven Serbia was involved in them, measures were taken against the Government of Serbia.

The parties are required to work to reduce tensions and avoid rhetoric or actions that could create new tensions.

Later, the resolution supports dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, which facilitates the EU, and calls on both sides to approach the continued dialogue with confidence and spirit of compromise. The resolution, however, also calls on the EU to have a new approach in the role of mediator between the sides.

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The resolution warns Kosovo and Serbia that failure to mark progress in normalising relations “will have a negative impact on the integration of both countries into the EU”.

With EU mediation, Kosovo and Serbia reached the Agreement on normalising relations on February 27th of 2023.

The agreement envisions, among other things, mutual respect for independence and territorial integrity, recognition of documents, diplomas, license plates, and deepening co-operation in the field of economy, rule of law, health and missing persons.

Serbia, too, took over not to block Kosovo's membership in international organisations, while Kosovo agreed that the Serb community would ensure a certain level of self-awareness, the foundation of the Serb majority municipalities' association, respectively.

But a year later, only those dealing with missing persons and recognition of the license plates were implemented.

Meanwhile, the EP says in its resolution that “regrets over the EU's restrictive measures towards Kosovo and invite to urgent removal of them”.

The report also welcomes Kosovo's application for EU membership and calls on the Commission to respond to this application. Recalls that Kosovo's application for candidate status should be assessed on the basis of merits in meeting the criteria.