Despite progress in all other areas, a key condition for Serbia’s EU membership remains the solving of the Kosovo issue and signing a legally binding agreement with Pristina. The pace of negotiations on all other issues will depend on what happens with Chapter 35.
The report of the European Commission on the progress of our country for this year and the Enlargement Strategy for 2014-2015 clearly pointed the need to implement all reached agreements, and start of “a new era in the normalization of relations,” which eventually would be sealed with the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina.
Otherwise, in the Progress Report, Kosovo is mentioned in five chapters – the Information society, Energy, Justice and fundamental rights, Freedom and security and Customs union. It is also requested opening of the Kosovo chapter among the first. The head of our negotiating team with the EU, Tanja Miscevic said it was not a surprise: “Opening of the chapter 35, in addition to chapters 23 and 24, is a new approach. The main topic of the chapter is normalization, while in other chapters it is just mentioned.”
“New era”, according to analysts Dusan Janjic, means revival of the dialogue that has been stalled, intensifying the implementation of agreed and definition of the content of section 35 and its opening: “The Kosovo issue is involved in almost every chapter, and entry of Serbia into the EU will depend from it, because at the end of negotiations will be left one year for monitoring our relations with Pristina on the ground. So, if then we will not receive the passing grade, Serbian wagon can be detached from the European lines, regardless of the fact that the negotiations were completed.”
Director of the Office for Kosovo, Marko Djuric says that Serbia “at one point” will have to adopt constitutional law that will regulate the legal status of Kosovo within Serbia and determine the degree of autonomy, “so that future generations would be secured that Kosovo is within Serbia.” According to expectations, at the end of the year, except chapter 35, will be opened another one.
“The Third Man” in the dialog?
“When Belgrade and Pristina reach another framework agreement, the mediator of the dialogue will not be any more the head of European diplomacy. The dialogue will be transferred under the umbrella of the Directorate for EU accession,” Janjic said. He noted that it will not be in the favour of Serbia, since it will be increasingly difficult to reach favourable agreements because all EU members could get involved in the dialogue.
In info-graphic within the article, newspaper listed the Brussels conditions regarding Kosovo:
-to establish Community of Serbian Municipalities
-to integrate Police and Judiciary
-to adopt regulations for the net of Courts in the north
-to provide participation of Kosovo in regional funds
-to grant the Fund for development of North
-to reach agreement about Peace park in Mitrovica
-to close illegal crossings on administrative line
-to restrain from criticism against EULEX (due to the cases against Serbs)
