Eurodeputs: The EU's unbalanced approach has negatively affected Kosovo- Serbia

Lajcak has held a farewell meeting with MEPs in the Foreign Policy Commission, with which he has discussed his five-year term as the bloc's envoy for dialogue to normalise reports between Kosovo and Serbia.

Free Radio sources Europe said that during this meeting, held by closed doors, most Eurodeputs have been critical of the way the EU has approached the parties in dialogue and in general in the states' reports with the bloc.

It is learned that during this debate, most MEPs have indicated that the punitive measures the EU has imposed on Kosovo, and at the same time there have been no measures against Serbia, separately after the armed attack on Banjska in 2023, have negatively impacted the dialogue mediated by the EU.

In September 2023, a group of armed Serbs attacked the Kosovo Police in Zvecan Banjska, killing a sergeant. Three Serb attackers were killed during the shootout.

Kosovo has blamed Serbia for the attack, but Belgrade has denied involvement. Kosovo is seeking the extradition of Milan Radojici from Serbia, which is believed to have claimed responsibility for the attack on Banjsk from Serbia. The EU, but the United States has reiterated their call for those responsible for the attack to face justice.

The Eurodeputs, during their meeting with Lajcak, have once again called for the removal of measures imposed on Kosovo in 2023 due to tensions in Kosovo's predominantly Serb-run north and a balanced EU approach.

Senior officials in Kosovo, including President Vjosa Osmani, and Prime Minister Albin Kurti, had sometimes criticised Lajcak and former EU diplomat Josep Borrell, for bias in dialogue and at the same time have sought the removal of punitive measures.

According to sources, Lajcak is taught that he has agreed with the eurodeputs' findings that they have had to remove the measures against Kosovo and that he had requested such a thing immediately after the attack on Banjska, but it has been argued that their removal was not in his hands, but the decision that belongs to member states.

Lajcak completes his mandate Friday, January 31st, and the following day, the mandate of the new minister for dialogue, diplomat from Denmark Peter Sorensen.

Lajcak at the meeting with the Eurodeputs is taught that he has indicated that the EU should retain a key role in facilitating dialogue and generally engagement in the Western Balkan region.

During Lajcak's five-year term as mediator in the dialogue, the parties have reached the agreement on the road towards normalising reports and implementation Anexs reached in 2023.

Lajcak, as REL learns, has agreed at the meeting with the Euro-deputes that there has been no progress he has expected in implementing this agreement.

The 11 provisions agreement, among other things, envisions a level of self-awareness for the Serb community in Kosovo, mutual recognition of state symbols, so that Serbia does not block Kosovo's membership in international organisations, and calls for Pristina and Belgrade to implement, as well, all previous agreements reached during dialogue.

The sides have agreed to the deal, but have not signed it. However, the EU says the agreement is legally binding for Kosovo and Serbia. /Radio Europe Free