Balkans | European Union: Serbia’s non-compliance with the Ohrid Agreement will have a “very negative” impact on the accession process

Peter Stano, a spokesman for the European Union Commission, said that if Serbia does not comply with its obligations arising from the Ohrid Agreement, this will reflect “very negatively” on the country’s membership in the European Union, and that failure to implement the agreement will lead to its reputational political and financial consequences.

Peter Stano, a spokesperson for the European Union Commission, responded to the words of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, saying that he would not implement all the obligations of the Ohrid Agreement, which was reached between his country and Kosovo with the mediation of the European Union. , on April 7.

The agreement is in effect and progressing, Stano said, “Kosovo and Serbia have agreed to immediately start implementing all provisions of the agreement, including the annex. This is what was agreed upon. Both sides made political commitments.” He said.

Emphasizing that the provisions of the agreement and its annex will be included in the thirty-fifth chapter of the EU-Serbia membership negotiations, Stano said: “This means that Serbia must implement the provisions of the agreement and its annex if it wants to make progress on the road to joining the European Union. So there is an agreement, there is an obligation to implement All items without choosing them. It is also about the international reputation and credibility of each party. He rated it.

“Otherwise, it will have a very negative impact on Serbia’s overall accession process.” Stano said, stressing that failure to implement the agreement would have reputational political and financial consequences.

Relations between Serbia and Kosovo

Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed on a deal that would normalize relations between the two countries in negotiations that lasted nearly 12 hours in Ohrid, North Macedonia on March 18, with the mediation of the European Union.

The 11-point agreement that will normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, which was made public, does not force Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence, but requires both countries to recognize each other’s official documents and symbols, including passports, diplomas and license plates. . Kosovo is required to establish a “Federation of Serb Municipalities” which will have self-government rights in settlements where most Serbs live in the country.

Although Kosovo is recognized as an independent country by 117 countries, it is described as one of Europe’s “frozen conflict zones” due to persistent ethnic tensions in its north and its inability to become a member of the United Nations.

Serbia considers Kosovo, which unilaterally declared its independence in 2008, to be its territory.

Serbia and Kosovo, which clash periodically, are trying to find a common way to normalize relations, and eventually the two countries get to know each other, within the scope of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue process initiated in 2011 with the mediation of the European Union.

Finally, on April 4, the parties’ chief negotiators met in Brussels. The European Union’s High Representative for External Relations and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, described this meeting as the “first step” towards normalization.

However, Serbian President Vucic repeatedly states that his country has red lines regarding the Kosovo issue and will act in this direction. He argues that they will comply with the agreement within the scope of ensuring peace and quiet, but when it comes to Kosovo’s membership in the United Nations, this is a red line because it means recognizing the country’s independence.

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