Kosovo president urges international community to pressure Serbia into implementing EU-backed deal

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani urged the international community on Wednesday to pressure Serbia into implementing a EU-backed deal to normalize ties.

“All the pressure should be directed at Serbia to make it implement the obligations it accepted. The International community should focus on (Serbian President Aleksandar) Vucic,'' Osmani told Radio TV Kosovo.

The leaders of Serbia and Kosovo agreed on how to implement the EU-backed deal in the last round of talks March 18 in North Macedonia.

The agreement came after 12 hours of talks between Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and EU officials.

''What he agreed to is de facto recognition of Kosovo because it recognizes sovereignty and integrity which are the main elements of statehood,'' said Osmani.

The EU announced Feb. 27 that Serbia and Kosovo agreed to sign a proposal to normalize ties after a meeting in Brussels.

The parties later agreed on how to implement the agreement, according to EU officials.

- Serbia-Kosovo dialogue

The EU-led Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue that was launched in 2011 aims to find a mutually agreeable solution for disputes in the framework of a legally binding agreement.

Following a flareup in border tensions last summer, EU special representative for the talks, Miroslav Lajcak presented the bloc’s latest proposal on normalizing in September.

The EU requires Kosovo and Serbia to reach a final agreement and resolve disputes to progress in their integration into the bloc.

Most UN member states, including the US, UK, France, Germany and Türkiye, recognized Kosovo as a separate country after it declared independence from Serbia 15 years ago.

Serbia continues to regard it as its territory.

Vucic said last October that Germany and France had 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 allow the establishment of a union of Serbian municipalities in the north, where many ethnic Serbs live.

EU officials hope to complete negotiations on the plan this spring with Brussels facilitating the talks.