Is the Kosovo-Serbia Ohrid Agreement failing?

The European Union has continued efforts to force Kosovo and Serbia to implement the agreement on normalisation of relations, linking it with the integration route for both sides.

EU spokesman Peter Stano said the EU's position is steadfast that the only way for Kosovo and Serbia's membership in the European Union is through implementation of the agreement.

“must urgently start with the implementation of this Agreement and its annex. Progress in this direction is closely linked to progress on the road to EU membership in Kosovo and Serbia”, Stano said.

But, Serbia's prime minister, Milos Vuchev, has said Serbia has rejected the Franco-German plan on which Kosovo and Serbia reached agreement in Ohrid. The European Union has urged Serbian officials to refrain from these statements that question the agreement.

Meanwhile, the Kosovo government has demanded sanctions against Serbia as violators of the basic agreement. Ruling Vetevendosje party MP Driton Hyseni said it is difficult to have normalisation with Serbia when the latter does not recognise the agreement reached in Brussels and its annex in Ohrid.

“Taking on the basis of the positions Serbia has for the agreements in Brussels, especially the one in Ohrid to follow an action plan for implementation of the agreement. The Serbian prime minister's recent stance that he does not recognise the agreement, I think the EU should first clarify the issue of this whole process with Serbia, and especially the Ohrid Agreement. I think that without clarifying this part I don't know how to go and dialogue with Serbia in Brussels. With its approach Serbia is being shown destructive for normalisation of reports. Serbia at this time is not interested in implementing the agreement, but has the interest to influence in the country's north”, Hyseni told Rtv21.

Kosovo and Serbia have had mutual accusations of wrongdoing since reaching the agreement in Ohrid. Serbia is accused of violating Article 4 in which it says Serbia “will not oppose Kosovo's membership in any international organisation”. While Kosovo is accused of failing to implement Article seven for implementation of the Serb majority municipalities' Association.