The EU spokesperson, Peter Stano, stated at a press conference on Tuesday that the EU’s position remains unchanged.

“The EU’s stance on the Iber Bridge has been clearly defined in the last days and weeks and it has been consistently communicated to Prishtina and discussed with other key international partners, including the United States, NATO, and KFOR. The EU’s position remains unchanged. This is the common position of all partners and allies of Kosovo and Kosovo authorities heed messages from their allies and partners, because such cooperation would better serve both the government and its citizens,” the EU leading spokesperson noted.

Stano highlighted that no date has been set for a possible meeting to discuss the issue in Brussels, highlighting the need for dialogue rather than independent measures.

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The European Union’s spokesperson Peter Stano confirmed the meeting on Monday, stating that normalization of Kosovo-Serbia ties is urgent.

Stano said that it was up to the European Union as the dialogue’s facilitator to work and assist both parties to normalize their relations.

The EU foreign policy spokesperson stated that the dialogue’s goal remains the normalization of relations, clarifying that while EU facilitators are tasked with this mandate.

Meanwhile, the EU efforts for a tripartite meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Kurti and the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic failed in Brussels last week. The EU foreign policy Chief Josep Borrell blamed Kosovo PM Kurti, who insists on three demands before resuming talks: signing the normalization agreement, retracting Serbia’s official refusal to implement the agreement, and handing over Milan Radoičić, accused of involvement in an armed attack in Banjska last September.

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Speaking in a press conference, the EU spokesperson reacted to a statement issued earlier in the day by Kosovo PM Albin Kurti, who asserted that Kosovo has met all the required conditions for the European Union to lift the sanctions imposed last year.

Stano said that the punitive measures on Kosovo continue to be in effect and a decision to lift them rests with the EU member states and not with Kosovo politicians.

The punitive measures imposed by the European Union against Kosovo last year include suspension of of the bodies under the Association-Stabilization Agreement and the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA), the disapproval of projects under the Investment Fund in the Western Balkans, as well as the suspension of meetings at political levels.

These measures were prepared by the bloc due to the failure to take the steps that have been requested to ease tensions in the north of Kosovo.

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Stano warned that failure of Kosovo authorities to do so could lead to significant consequences for the country’s aspirations to join the European Union (EU).

Stano reiterated that establishment of the Association of the Serb-majority Municipalities within the country is a crucial commitment for Kosovo and has been repeatedly emphasized by EU top officials.

Kosovo and Serbia agreed on creation of the Association in 2013, with further principles outlined in 2015.

However, challenges arose when the Constitutional Court of Kosovo deemed the agreements not fully aligned with the country’s constitution.

International community proposed a draft statue on creation of the Association in the end of last year. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti affirmed in an interview with Radio Free Europe last month that he had rejected the draft statute and efforts to move forward have been met with setbacks.

Stano emphasized the importance of Kosovo’s progress in this regard, stating that it is essential for demonstrating a commitment to the normalization of relations with Serbia, a key aspect of Kosovo’s path towards EU integration.

“If Kosovo fails to yield results in this respect, this won’t be seen as a positive signal that the country really wishes to move forward on the path towards normalization of the relations (with Serbia), a key aspect of Kosovo’s path towards EU accession,” he added.

The European Union, the United States of America and the Great Britain insist that Kosovo is obliged to establish the Association of Serb-majority Municipalities.

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Asked by Radio Free Europe whether Serbia violated the 2023 agreement by voting against the report on Kosovo at the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, the EU spokesperson Peter Stano said that the bloc expects the two countries to enforce whole agreement, despite the Council of Europe actions.

Stano emphasized that the EU and the Council of Europe operate as independent entities, implying that the EU does not have direct jurisdiction over Serbia’s actions regarding Kosovo’s CoE membership.

Despite the 2023 agreement’s explicit Article 4, which states that Serbia will not oppose Kosovo’s membership in any international organization, the Vucic regime’s actions have raised concerns. Kosovo’s bid for CoE membership has faced resistance from Serbia, contrary to the agreement’s provisions.

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In a press statement, Stano said that if Serbia does not take steps to de-escalate the situation in the north of Kosovo, the 27 member countries of the European Union may agree to impose punitive measures against Belgrade too.

“If the EU member states decide, then we will impose the necessary measure against Serbia if the 27 member states declare that in the current situation, in the current context of this latest crisis, Serbia is not doing everything to de-escalate the situation,” Stano said.

EC spokesperson reiterated that the punitive measures against Kosovo were imposed due to the failure of Kosovo authorities to act as Europeans and declined to hint a date when such measures could be lifted.

Stano confirmed that EU has received a recent letter sent by 50 key European, U.S. and British politicians, calling on a shift to the Western Balkan policy and harsher approach towards Serbia.

However, he said that the common EU foreign policy is shaped by unanimity of the 27 member states and called on Kosovo and Serbia to act in a European manner.

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“We are witnessing very dangerous escalations we are witnessing since Friday with clashes, injured people and damages to the public properties. This is the reason why the European Union, the EU High Representative and international partners condemned these incidents and the violent actions and called for de-escalation of the situation. The High Representative Josep Borrell has been constantly communicating with PM Kurti and the Serbian President Vucic,” he said.

Stano added that the EU will do utmost effort to help finding a solution in the framework of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue process.

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EC spokesperson said that the Management Team for the Association was an independent delegation and that both sides had agreed on the team’s composition.

Stano stated that any decision regarding the Management team must be approved in the framework of the EU-facilitated dialogue.

Stano said the team should be functional until the moment the association is agreed upon and implemented.

“As for the reported decision of Kosovo to disband the management team, the dialogue agreements clearly state that the management team must be in operation until the statute of the Association/Community for Municipalities with a Serbian majority is approved,” the EC spokesperson said.

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In a press statement a few days ahead of the EU-facilitated talks between Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti and the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic in Brussels, the EC spokesman declined to  comment on the critics leveled by the Serbian leaders regarding the last Sunday’s local elections in northern Kosovo.

He said that a high-level meeting facilitated by the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, and the EU’s special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, Miroslav Lajčak.

“The meeting will focus on implementation of the agreement on the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia and the parties are expected to adopt the declaration on the missing persons as the first issue on the agenda of talks, followed by presentation of the first draft-status of the Association/Community of Serb-majority municipalities,” Stano said, adding that he can’t speculate over any possible scenario.

A Joint Monitoring Committee to monitor the implementation of the Agreement on the Normalization of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia and Annex for implementation was set up 30 days after the high-level meeting in Ohrid.

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He called on Kosovo and Serbia to show restraint, stating that uncoordinated and unilateral actions that jeopardize the stability and security on the ground, and impede the freedom of movement of all citizens need to stop immediately.

EU spokesperson Stano said that all open issues between Serbia and Kosovo need to be addressed through the EU-facilitated dialogue, which is essential for the two countries’ path toward the EU.

“The EU is following developments in Kosovo north very closely and with concern. All parties should show restraint and uncoordinated and unilateral actions that jeopardize the stability and security on the ground, and impede the freedom of movement of all citizens need to stop immediately. The only way to address disagreements is through dialogue and negotiations. Both parties are invited to Brussels to sit down and talk in the framework of the EU facilitated dialog,” Stano said.

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