Everything that was signed in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, which was also signed by EU representatives, must be implemented, and all the officials I talked to know our red lines, said the Serbian president. Aleksandar Vučić on the eve of a new round of talks between the two sides on the 18th of March.
In the previous two days, Vučić was preparing for a trilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo Albina Kurti in Ohrid under the patronage of the EU and the head of Eurodiplomacy Josepha Borellamet with the Union’s special representative for dialogue Miroslav Lajčakand on Wednesday with the special envoy of the United States for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar.
In the conversation with the American official, he pointed to the “unchanged position of Serbia in terms of preserving peace and stability in the region and solving open issues between Belgrade and Pristina”, stressing the necessity of “full implementation of the agreements signed so far” and “preserving the state and national interests” of Serbia , it was announced from Vučić’s office.
In an interview with Euronews in English, Vučić emphasized that, regarding the establishment of the Community of Serbian Municipalities (CMU), four agreements were signed under the auspices of the EU.
Belgrade insists that the formation of the ZSO must be the starting and key point for the further implementation of the European agreement proposal for Kosovo, because Pristina undertook this obligation in Brussels, and Serbia considers the EU to be the guarantor of the formation of this association. The Kosovo leadership, on the other hand, thinks that the JSO should be a central part of the agreement, but only through mutual recognition.
“We have already signed everything and of course it was signed by EU representatives and it must be implemented. And that is not the ultimate goal. The ultimate goal is for Serbs and Albanians to live together, to live much better and to respect each other, without enmity,” Vučić said. .
When asked if he is preparing for a new round of talks with the representatives of Kosovo and what are the “red lines”, Vučić said that both sides have them, and that it is more important to try to reach compromise solutions and that they have to work hard to normalize the situation.
“I believe that it is in the interest of both parties to ensure the free flow of goods, people, and capital. We must work very diligently on that, as well as on implementing all previous agreements,” said Vučić.
Asked if Serbia is ready to make some concessions to the Kosovo side regarding membership in the Council of Europe or at least accepting that procedure, Vučić said that they “already started that procedure” and Serbia was not asked because they “don’t need it”.
He repeated that it was also to the President of France Emmanuel Macron and the German chancellor Olafu Scholzu said what he thought about Kosovo’s admission to the UN, but that Belgrade was ready to discuss other issues.
“We also have to talk about some laws that must be adopted and I will talk about that in Ohrid with my interlocutors and some other people. But we are ready to talk about many issues and they know my red lines,” said Vučić.
Answering the question whether this means that the door is not closed for the possibility of Serbia saying “yes” to Kosovo’s membership, he said: “In some organizations, yes. I am not talking about the Council of Europe, they have already started that without us.”
Vučić pointed out that people are “fed up with all kinds of pressures” that Serbia is facing with regard to Kosovo, sanctions (to Russia) “and everything else”.
– That’s why the EU’s popularity in (Serbia) is almost at its lowest, and it was even worse a month ago, but Serbia has done a lot, said Vučić. If this continues, he is convinced that Serbia will one day become a member of the European Union.
