Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation that Kosovo and Serbia concluded in Ohrid, North Macedonia. The Agreement and its Implementation Annex were achieved after months of intense negotiations under the facilitation by the European Union to help the Parties to make a leap forward in the normalisation of their relations.
In times of an unprecedented full-scale war on our continent, reaching an agreement that promises peace, stability and good neighbourly relations, was a landmark achievement. For the first time during the EU-facilitated Dialogue, the Parties agreed on clear parameters defining the trajectory of the process to normalise their relations. This Agreement and its implementation will clearly demonstrate that both partners’ future is in the European Union.
It is regrettable that despite extensive efforts by the EU and the broader international community, there has been so far very limited progress by both Kosovo and Serbia in implementing the obligations they accepted under this Agreement. The EU recalled repeatedly that the Agreement is binding in its entirety under international law. Therefore, any lack of implementation does not only endanger the Parties’ European integration, it also damages their reputation as credible and reliable partners.
It is now high time for both Kosovo and Serbia to break the current vicious cycle of crises and tensions, and move into a new – European – era. The Agreement offers a better future for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia and the entire region.
We expect the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to show responsibility, vision and leadership by making progress in implementation with no further delay. It is an opportunity they should not miss. The European Union continues to stand ready to help Kosovo and Serbia in every step along the way, but they are the ones who have to take those steps and move forward.
