Kosovo must normalize relations with Serbia or it will not be able to obtain the status of a candidate country for the European Union. This fact was announced by the European Union Commissioner for Enlargement, Marta Kos, in an interview with Radio Free Europe.
She said that it is very important that the next government of Kosovo fulfills certain preconditions "that must be fulfilled," without mentioning what they are.
"We are waiting for the formation of the new government. I am in contact with politicians there, and they claim that they are very much in favor of normalizing relations with Serbia, which is a prerequisite for the negotiation process to start or for candidate status to be granted. I have not received any signal from the member states or from the Danish presidency of the European Council that obtaining the status during the Danish presidency could happen. But I think it would be very good to start," said Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement.
Due to tensions in northern Kosovo, the EU imposed several punitive measures on Kosovo in 2023 and continues to maintain them in force, arguing that Kosovo has not yet done enough to de-escalate the situation in the Serb-majority north. Despite requests from Kosovo leaders to lift these measures, Kos stressed that not all EU member states are currently ready to lift the measures at this stage.
"We don't know yet. We are discussing this. If the member states are in favor of lifting them, of course we will do so. But, at the moment, not all member states are in favor of lifting the measures," Kos added.
Speaking about Serbia, the country she will visit this week, Kos said that "Serbia really needs to deliver results."
"Words are not enough. I see my mission or my visit there as a great effort to bring Serbia back on the European path," Kos said.
She added that the demands of the protesters, who have been protesting for months in Serbia - following the death of 16 people from the collapse of a concrete shelter at the Novi Sad train station - are the same as those of the European Commission. (A2 Televizion)
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