A year from the Ohrid Agreement: EU regrets limited progress in its implementation

The European Union's High Representative, Josep Borrell, has said Sunday that now is the time for Kosovo and Serbia to end the crisis and tensions and move forward in a new European <x0);x1> implementing the agreement to normalise neighbourly relations.

The statement was issued since today marked the first anniversary of the Agreement on the road to normalisation that Kosovo and Serbia finalised in Ohrid, North Macedonia. Borrell said that this agreement and its Implementation Annex were reached after months of intensive negotiations under European Union relief to help the parties take a step forward in normalising their relations.

“Neser marks the first anniversary of the Agreement on the road to normalisation that Kosovo and Serbia reached in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The agreement and the annex of its implementation were reached after months of intensive negotiations under the ease of the European Union to help the parties take a step forward in normalising their” relations, Borrell said yesterday.

Borrell, citing the war in Ukraine, said reaching an agreement promising peace, stability and good neighbourly relations was historic.

For the first time during the EU facilitated dialogue, the parties agreed on clear parameters defining the process's trajectory for normalising their relations. This agreement and its implementation will clearly show that the future of both partners is in the European Union”, Borrell said.

The European top diplomat expressed regret that, “in spite of the EU's numerous efforts and the wider international community, so far there has been very limited progress from both Kosovo and Serbia in implementing the obligations they have accepted under this” Agreement.

“The EU constantly remembers that the agreement is binding on its entirety under international law. Therefore, any lack of implementation not only endangers the European integration of the parties but also damages their reputation as reliable and reliable partners”, Borrell said.

Now is the time for both Kosovo and Serbia to break the current vicious circle of crises and tensions, and to move into a new European era. The agreement offers a better future for citizens of Kosovo and Serbia and the entire region”, he stressed.

Borrell indicated that they expect the <x0liders of Kosovo and Serbia to show responsibility, vision and leadership by making progress in implementation without further delay”.

The European Union continues to be ready to help Kosovo and Serbia at every step along the way, but they are the ones who have to take those steps and walk before”, it concluded.

Even European Union spokesman Peter Stano recalled that it has been a year since Serbia and Kosovo have reached the Ohrid Agreement for normalising relations and has stressed that the European Union regrets limited progress has been made in its implementation.

The European Union therefore calls on leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to show responsibility and if they do not, the credibility and European integration” will be jeopardised, Stano has said on the social X network.

On February 27th, 2023 in Brussels, Kosovo and Serbia had reached the Base Agreement, already on March 18th in Ohrid, reconciliation was reached for the Anex's implementation of the agreement.

The 11 provisions agreement, among other things, envisions a level of self-awareness for the Serb community in Kosovo and mutual recognition of state symbols, while calling on Pristina and Belgrade to implement, as well, all previous agreements reached during the dialogue.

Brussels has accused both sides of failing to implement the agreement.

The chief of European diplomacy said he expects Kosovo and Serbia leaders to show “responsibility, vision and leadership, marking progress in implementing the agreement without delay”.

Senior Kosovo and Serbian officials have repeatedly expressed attitudes suggesting they are not willing to adhere to the agreement.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti insists on signing the agreement, since, as he considers, it would be a guarantee that Serbia would also meet its obligations.

In mid-January of this year, he also said that the Association of Serb majority municipalities “is not a priority” for normalising relations with Serbia and that it should not be isolated.

Serbia's President Aleksandar Vuciq said earlier that he would not sign any agreements that would imply recognition of Kosovo or its membership in the United Nations.

On December 14th, Serbia's prime minister, Anna Brnabyq, delivered an official letter to the European Union headquarters, expressing reservations about obligations stemming from the agreement and annexing its implementation.

Borrell said that in time of the unprecedented <x0) wars on our continent”, reaching an agreement promising peace, stability and good neighbourly relations “was historic achievement”.

He warned both Kosovo and Serbia that their European future depends on implementing this agreement and that it is the obligation for them in line with international law.

The lack of implementation not only endangers European integration parties but also damages their reputation as reliable partners”, he said.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have risen on February 1st, when a Kosovo Central Bank regulation envisioning the euro as the only currency for delivering cash payments, preventing the Serbian dinar.

The EU has announced that on March 19th in Brussels, at the level of top negotiators, Kosovo and Serbia will discuss the dinar issue.

The European bloc, but also the United States, has criticised the decision on the dinar, saying it has been taken without preliminary consultations and without taking on the negative influences it has on the Serb community.