Speaking at a press conference after the European Commission adopted its annual Enlargement Package earlier today, the EU’s foreign policy chief noted that the number of candidate countries has jumped to ten since 2019 when there were only five EU candidate countries.

“This shows that the EU acts like a magnet that attracts people and the neighboring countries, which attracts people and states. As the European integration process advances, the citizens in the candidate countries reap tangible benefits, without having to wait until the end of the process. This is a process and the benefits are tangible along this process and people see these benefits on daily basis,” he noted.

Borrell mentioned the access of citizens from the candidate countries to Erasmus + and other research and cultural programmes.

The High Representative underlined that the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine, with the rule of law at the centre of the plan.

“Now we should also see stronger ties in terms of the common security and foreign policy, insisting on our values and standing firmly in protecting our values to ensure regional stability and peace in the EU, because the EU should not only become bigger, but also stronger,” he stated.

“We want to include all our neighbors and become stronger all together. And it is just impossible to maintain relations with Russia and try to do business as usual, while expecting for your country to become an EU member,” Borrell said.

“Over the years, you have seen that aligning with our common security and foreign policy is the most important indicator that a candidate country shares our values and our common political orientation. Some of our partners are fully aligned with our common security and foreign policy. I can mention Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Kosovo that aligns voluntarily,” Borrell stated.

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Kosovo President said via a post on the social media that and the EU’s foreign policy chief discussed Serbia’s act of aggression against Kosovo last month.

Osmani stated that Serbia must be held accountable for its clear violation of Article 3 of the EU agreement of 27 February, which provides for the obligation to refrain from the threat or use of force.

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Speaking in a press conference after meeting with PM Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic earlier today in Brussels, the EU’s foreign policy chief said that Kurti insisted on formalizing de facto recognition of Kosovo as the first step, whereas Vucic insisted on establishment of an association of Serb-majority municipalities.

Borrell told reporters that the EU proposal was for the two processes “to run in parallel, but Kurti rejected Brussels’ compromise proposal.

“Prime Minister Kurti wanted political aspects of normalisation first, while Serbia wants to start with the establishment of the Association/Community before engaging on its obligations. This is why we proposed what we see as the only possible compromise today – a process that would allow these two to run in parallel. This is the best compromise that we could offer. Moving on implementation in parallel would ensure that the core principles – namely that you have to do something in order to get something – are fulfilled.  The European Union and the wider international community, including our American partners, see this as the only realistic way that the implementation can work. Both need to have the guarantees that their actions are rewarded with counter-actions by the other Party. This is the way we look for a balance point in a negotiation. Prime Minister Kurti was not ready to move forward and start a credible process towards establishing the Association/Community. He insisted instead on formalising de facto recognition as the first step.   I have to say, President Vučić accepted the European Union’s proposal for the implementation of the Agreement. He came with another proposal, but finally he accepted our proposal. We tried hard, but unfortunately, it was not possible to bridge the differences today,” Borrell said.

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PM Rama said the two sides must work hard to prevent similar situations in the future.

In his remarks at a joint press conference with the European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell after their bilateral meeting in Brussels, Rama said he was pleased to share opinions and voice concern over such a disturbing situation.

“It has to do with the stability of the whole region, as well as with the regional progress, as we are part of a region that has been through serious hardship and suffering in the past and cannot afford another disadvantage and the events are closely interlinked in this region. We can’t look after our own homes, we can’t deliver on our home works without bearing in mind what is happening with the neighboring states and what destructive effects could trigger further escalation of the situation, not only in Kosovo and Serbia, but in the entire region,” PM Rama said.

The government head noted that he very much hoped that “a conference with the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia will draw attention and it will also involve leaders from the EU member states and the United States of America and they should not walk out of the conference without reaching a joint agreement.”

PM Rama warned of “sad consequences for everyone if we fail.”

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The EU High Representative praised Albania’s role in the region and called on Kosovo and Serbia to engage in dialogue and leave conflicts behind.

“We also discussed peace dialogue in Pristina. I would like to thank you Mr. Prime Minister for the effort and your commitment to finding a solution. I also made it clear on behalf of foreign ministers that both sides should ease tensions. We believe the situation requires immediate intervention in order for the sides to sit down and talk,” Borrell said.

Borrell said that current situation calls for swift and immediate actions.

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Earlier today, the government head also met with the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, as well as with the Neighborhood and Enlargement Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi.

EC President Ursula von der Leyen said via a post on the social media that she and PM Rama discussed the progress on Albania’s EU accession path and our new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans.

According to her, this will bring the region and the EU closer together, and boost prosperity in our partners.

“Very good meeting with Prime Minister Edi Rama. We discussed the progress on Albania’s EU accession path and our new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This will bring the region and the EU closer together, and boost prosperity in our partners,” Von der Leyen said.

PM Rama met also with the President of the European Council, Charles Michel, a day ago.

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The EU foreign policy chief said that today’s meeting with the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia focussed on how to defuse the situation on the ground; how to organise new elections and how to return to the dialogue and implementation of all dialogue implementation.

EU High Representative Borrell and the EU Envoy Mirosllav Lajcak held a series of crisis meetings, first with the Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, and then with the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic.

No joint meeting with Kurti and Vucic took place today.

At a press conference, Borrell called on Vucic that the three policemen held in Serbia need to be released urgently and unconditionally.”

Three Kosovo police officers were detained by Serbian forces within the territory of Kosovo on June 14.

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Borrell said that they are in close contact with the KFOR Commander and both sides “in order to figure out what really happened.”

“There was an incident related to the arrest of three Kosovo police officers and we are trying to precisely understand what happened. We are in close contact with the Commander of KFOR and both sides to see what really happened that lead to this arrest. In the meantime, we should call for calm and taking notice of the fact that the situation is increasingly escalating, we are in a crisis management mode again. I will invite both sides, Kosovo and Serbia, to a crisis management meeting in Brussels next week,” Borrell said.

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In a press statement, the EU’s foreign policy chief emphasized the need the urgent need for both countries to embark on additional joint efforts to alleviate the situation of the affected families and the wider community.

Statement by the High Representative on the Political Declaration on Missing Persons:

Today, under EU Facilitation, President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia and Prime Minister Albin Kurti of Kosovo have reaffirmed the importance of resolving the fate of the remaining Missing Persons, to bring closure to the suffering of their loved ones and to foster lasting reconciliation and peace.

Both Parties have recognised the issue of Missing Persons as a humanitarian one, and noted the urgent need for additional joint efforts to alleviate the situation of the affected families and the wider community.

They have acknowledged the important work done through the Working Group on Missing Persons, chaired by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As a sign of their joint resolve to ensure full implementation of their respective commitments in the field of Missing Persons, they have endorsed the Declaration on Missing Persons.

They have also committed to agree on the operational details at the next meeting of the EU-facilitated Dialogue on normalisation of relations, at Chief Negotiators level.

Of the 6.065 cases of persons who have gone missing in the period 1 January 1998 – 31 December 2000, 1.621 remain unresolved. More than twenty years after, their families continue to live in grief, unaware of the whereabouts of their loved ones. Families have the right to know the fate of their relatives as does society at large.

Resolving the issue of Missing Persons is not only a humanitarian obligation. It is also a crucial enabler for reconciliation and trust between people. It has become urgent to ensure that the process of identifying burial sites is concluded as soon as possible. Memories are fading and individuals, places and events are more difficult to investigate.

This is why the EU welcomes the Parties’ endorsement of the declaration and expects that the Parties make tangible progress on bringing to a closure the outstanding cases of Missing Persons and on fulfilling their respective obligations towards the families. The EU-chaired Joint Monitoring Committee overseeing the implementation of the Agreement on the path to normalisation between Kosovo and Serbia and its Implementation Annex will regularly review the progress made.

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The meeting was held in the framework of the process for the normalization of Kosovo-Serbia relations.

Borrell and Lajcak were set to meet also President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic, and then they will hold a joint meeting with Kurti and Vucic, where they will discuss on the European plan and its implementation.

The US special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar is also in Brussels. He was also set to meet the parties separately, before the joint meeting.

Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano said today before the Kurti-Vucic meeting in Brussels that everything depends on the Prime Minister of Kosovo and the President of Serbia to agree to move forward.

In a press conference, Stano said that they expect European behavior to move forward towards achieving progress in the dialogue.

He emphasized that progress is what is urgently needed now. /p.s. /