Belgrade, March 9. The European envoy for dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia, Miroslav Lajcak, expressed optimism on Thursday in Pristina that the two parties will agree this month on a roadmap to implement a new plan of the European Union (EU) aimed at normalizing their relations.
After meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Lajcak assured the press that the meeting was “constructive, important and useful”, although he could not reveal more details.
“The main purpose of this visit is to brief me on how Kosovo views the candidacy, and this meeting met my expectations in this context,” Lajcak was quoted as saying by the website of Kosovar daily Koha.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, which Belgrade does not recognize.
The two countries are negotiating the normalization of their relations on the basis of a new plan which, promoted by the EU and supported by the United States, they accepted last month.
If implemented, this plan should mark an important step in the difficult process initiated in 2013 under the auspices of the EU to regularize their relations.
It provides, among other things, that Belgrade and Pristina recognize the official documents of both countries, so that their citizens can travel freely between the territories of the two nations.
In addition, it stipulates that Serbia does not prevent Kosovo’s entry into international organizations, while ensuring “more security, certainty and predictability” of the rights of the Kosovo Serb minority.
As a condition for continuing these negotiations, Belgrade insists that Pristina cede autonomy to the Serbs living in Kosovo, in accordance with what was agreed in 2013 in Brussels.
However, this measure was never implemented and Kurti strongly opposes it.
After visiting Pristina today and tomorrow, Lajcak will travel to Belgrade next Monday.
These trips by the European envoy are part of the preparations for a meeting between Kurti and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, with the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, scheduled for 18 in Ohrid (North Macedonia). ).