Mustafa Talha Öztürk
07 February 2023•Update: 07 February 2023
BELGRADE, Serbia
Kosovo’s prime minister said Monday that his country accepts a European Union proposal for the normalization of relations with Serbia.
Albin Kurti’s remarks came after he met with Miroslav Lajcak, the EU’s special envoy for the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, in the capital Pristina.
"We do accept the EU proposal for normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and consider it a good basis for further discussions and a solid platform for moving forward,'' said Kurti.
He said questions on international guarantees and implementation mechanisms and time sequencing will be addressed soon during talks in Brussels.
Establishing a union of Serb municipalities in Kosovo is one of the major conditions of Serbia.
Kurti's remarks once again caused controversy as he said in early January that Serbia should be pressured to accept a German-French proposal to normalize relations, which includes the formation of the community.
But last week, he said it is not possible and Serbia should pay compensation for the 1999 war.
Lajcak is also expected to visit Belgrade.
He and other special envoys of Western countries recently paid multiple visits to the region.
Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process
The EU requires Kosovo and Serbia to reach a final agreement that can resolve issues between the two countries for progress in their integration process with the bloc.
Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye recognizing it as a separate autonomous country from its neighbor. But Belgrade continues to regard it as its territory.
Lately, the parties have been negotiating what is popularly known as the Franco-German proposal.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in October that Germany and France offered to expedite Serbia’s EU membership process if it recognized Kosovo’s independence and allowed it to become a member of international organizations.
According to the leaked proposal, Kosovo should also allow the establishment of a union of Serbian municipalities in the north, where many Serbs live.
EU officials hope negotiations on the plan will be completed in the spring.
Brussels has facilitated the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue.
