Overshadowed by the Czech President Milos Zeman’s statement that his country might reconsider the decision on recognition of Kosovo independence, the Western Balkans’ leaders and the so-called Visegrad Group (V4) met in Prague without Pristina’s top politicians, the Beta news agency reported.
However, Kosovo is represented by its Charge d’Affaires, officially due to internal politics related to October 6 early elections, but unofficially, according to the Czech CTK news agency, because of Zeman’s statement.
Other Czech officials said Zeman stated it without consulting the Government which could decide on such issues, and that he said that in Belgrade to make Serbs like him.
Some say he has tried to apologise for his consent with NATO’s bombing of the then Yugoslavia over Kosovo.
However, the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis said he would have a stand in a month after the regular meeting with Zeman and the presidents of both parliament houses’ foreign policy committees.
Czech Republic’s Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček said he saw no reason for such a debate since nothing dramatic happened in the region, but that would talk to Zeman.
But, he added that “we recognised Kosovo in 2008, and it is in the interest of our security and the transparency of our foreign policy, not to change that,” saying “the Czech Republic supports the Western Balkans, including Serbia, on their way to the European Union.”
The Summit of the V4, made up of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, and the Western Balkans countries will discuss the regional experience in the last five years and suggestion for future, as well as about the economic situation, a statement from the Czech Government said.
Serbia is presented by Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister.
The leaders will also talk about the possible improvement of reforms and the integration processes, it added.
