Kosovo’s progress report confirms its European perspective, but it also shows that there are no shortcuts on the way to the EU, said Nataliya Apostolova, Head of the EU office in Kosovo, adding a glass is half full, and that the continuation of the reforms requires a strong political will of the Assembly and Government.
Speaking about the opposition of the local authorities of Decani to return the land to the Monastery of Visoki Decani, Apostolova told the RTK2 that for three years the Constitutional Court’s decision has not been implemented. It worries us, she added, and said that the EU will not give up on the court’s decision enforcement.
Apostolova believes that the dialogue has not been suspended, but it is definitely in a problem and a way is being searched for to bring the parties back to the negotiating table.
“The best solution is for the Kosovo government to abolish the tax, because it violates the CEFTA agreement and the SAA. In order to continue the dialogue, the tax must be withdrawn and that there is political will to reach a mutually acceptable solution,” she said.
Apostolova see the engagement of Germany and France as a support to the continuation of the dialogue and is welcome if it provides a solution.
“The inclusion of these countries shows the good will of EU member states to take care of Kosovo, and want it to move forward,” she underlined, saying she was certain that the discussion would continue and that the result would be a comprehensive agreement.
Commenting on the announcement by Kosovo’s top officials that it will not allow the formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO), Aposolova said it was impossible to eliminate what was agreed in the dialogue process and added that both sides were obliged to implement the provisions of this international agreement.
She believes that the final agreement should be comprehensive and legally binding for both sides, that is, to cover all open issues of Kosovo and Serbia.
“It is important that the Kosovo delegation is already working on this and the perception is wrong that the agreement will be proposed by the mediator, but both parties should do it. When the time comes, Kosovo should be ready to present its position on the final agreement,” concluded the Head of EU Office in Kosovo Nataliya Apostolova.
