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The debate on the draft reports on Kosovo and Serbia was held in the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Policy.
Viola von Cramon, rapporteur for Kosovo, spoke about the content of this report. Some speakers in Thursday’s debate expressed gratitude for the speed with which Kosovo had backed EU sanctions on Russia and condemned Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.
Representatives of the European Commission and those of the EU External Action Service also spoke at the debate.
Vasilis Maragos from the European Commission has expressed gratitude for Kosovo’s stances on the war in Ukraine. He particularly welcomed the participation of Prime Minister Albin Kurti in the donors’ conference for Ukraine. Maragos has warned that the Commission will help Kosovo cope with the economic consequences. In particular, Maragos mentioned the need for investment in the energy sector, calling the recent energy supply crisis in Kosovo, as an alarm to wake up.
The representative of the European Commission in this debate reiterated that the assessment of the European Commission continues to be that Kosovo has met all the criteria for visa liberalization and that the support of the European Parliament in this regard remains key.
Elsa Fenet, from the EU External Action Service (EEAS), also praised Kosovo’s stance on the war in Ukraine. She said that Kosovo is not formally obliged to adapt to the EU positions in foreign policy, but such an adaptation is welcome anyway. She stressed that Kosovo will have to show more flexibility in regional cooperation. Regarding the dialogue, he said that the geopolitical situation makes the normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia more necessary.
Croatian MP Tonino Piculla has asked the EU to show commitment to Kosovo.
“Our role in Kosovo is key, but when we demand fulfillment of conditions, we must prove with our example the commitment. “It is unacceptable that the EU has not yet liberalized visas for the citizens of Kosovo,” he said.
Rapporteur Von Cramon at the end of the debate called on, at a time when the focus is on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, not to forget that the reconciliation process in the Western Balkans region has not yet yielded results. She reminded that war traumas can still be seen in Kosovo today.
In the debate on the report on Serbia, regret was expressed for its stances on the war in Ukraine, and this was seen as Serbia’s departure from its European aspirations. Some MPs have also mentioned serious consequences for Serbia if it does not prove that it wants to respect European values.
Many MPs have said that “the time has passed when balances of attitudes could be made and now Serbia, like any other European country, must decide which side it wants to be on.”
The European Parliament’s rapporteur for Serbia, Vladimir Bilicik, has also asked Belgrade to support the EU positions.
“Sovereign states adopt sovereign positions, but also bear responsibility for such positions,” Bilicik said, expressing his expectations that Serbia would support the EU positions.
Michael Muler from the European Commission said during this debate that Serbia’s positions regarding Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will be taken into account when deciding on steps in the enlargement process.
Elsa Fenet from the EEAS has said that although Serbia has supported some EU positions, such as the UN vote, it has not yet backed any sanctions against Russia for aggression against Ukraine. She said that political contacts between Serbia and Russia have continued, including with those she called “contradictory persons”. She also warned that the Russian disinformation campaign in Serbia continues to be present.
Viola Von Cramon welcomed the content of the report on Serbia, but criticized the group of European People’s Party (EPP) in the European Parliament, calling it a “safe area for the interests of President Vucic’s’s Party”.
The MP from Croatia, from the ranks of the Socialist and Democratic group, Tonino Piculla, said that Serbia is not implementing in practice the obligation for regional cooperation and good neighborliness. He has said that the EU can no longer tolerate calculations about its standards and values.
Some MPs have also invited Serbia to open the archives of the former communist secret service to the UDB. The reports on Kosovo and Serbia, as well as on other countries in the Western Balkans region, will be voted on in mid-June in the Foreign Policy Committee, while in plenary session in July./REL
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