Outgoing EU High Representative Federica Mogherini urged the EU to maintain a strong presence in the Western Balkans achieving a clear interest of the region's EU accession, Tanjug news agency reports.

In her address at the annual conference of EU Ambassadors in Brussels, she assessed that the accession of the Western Balkans in the EU is an issue of a reintegration of the whole European continent and that it is necessary for the Balkans, as well as the EU.

“Serbia would most probably participate in a meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers and membership candidate states in Helsinki,” Foreign Affairs Minister Ivica Dacic said Tanjug news agency reports. The news agency recalled that outgoing EU High Representative Federica Mogherini invited Pristina representatives to this event as well.

Dacic added he would consult with the President Aleksandar Vucic about Serbia’s participation, underlining “a Gymnich format” would be respected in a meeting.

European Council had appointed Spain’s Foreign Affairs Minister Josep Borrell for the new chief of EU foreign policy. As European media report, EU members had officially named Borrell the successor of Federica Mogherini on the position of EU High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security.

Borrell will take over his duty at the end of October, it is said in the European Council statement.
The Council had appointed Borrell after the approval of the newly appointed President of European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.

On the occasion of the new Pristina ban to Serbia's officials to enter Kosovo, thus violating the agreements reached so far, Brussels responded to the Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti.

- We expect all agreements reached within the framework of the EU-mediated dialogue to be respected and implemented, including an agreement on official visits - spokesman for the High Representative Mogherini, Maja Kocijancic responded to the Vecernje Novosti question to comment on the latest prohibition of the Pristina authorities.

According to Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti, the European Union's foreign policy chief and mediator in Belgrade and Pristina's dialogue, Federica Mogherini, suggested to the two parties that the Kosovo authorities first abolish the taxes on Serbian products, and then both sides to postpone lobbying until a solution in the dialogue.

European Parliament Committee for Cooperation with Serbia Chairman Eduard Kukan believes that inclusion of Russia and the US in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue would end it.

The EU and its foreign policy chief had to show much more firmness and determination in the enlargement process and, above all, in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina; the lack of leadership was particularly striking in the absence of a response to Pristina's unacceptable tariffs (on goods from central Serbia) Kukan told Belgrade-based Vecernje Novosti daily.

By constant repeating about their national unification Albanians succeeded to make it sound normal and nobody reacts to it any longer, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said commenting on the meeting of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and Kosovo President Hashim Thaci in Tirana yesterday.

Vucic made these remarks following his meeting with EU High Representative Federica Mogherini, adding he conveyed to Mogherini his dissatisfaction, as he said, over strange occurrences between Tirana and Pristina such are the talks on the national unification of Albanians.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic was in Rome on Wednesday where he met with Italian Deputy PM and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. According to announcements, Vucic discussed the Kosovo-Metohija issue with Salvini, whom he sees as one of Europe's most influential politicians.

Despite a differing stance on the Kosovo issue, Italy understands Serbia's position, Vucic said in Rome after the meeting. He added they had discussed the issue and that Salvini had told him Italy - which recognizes Kosovo - wanted to be a part of a solution and to help in every possible way.

Albanian capital Tirana will host the leaders of the Western Balkans on Wednesday and Thursday at the Brdo - Brioni Summit, an initiative launched by Croatia and Slovenia in 2013 to speed up the region’s path to the European Union, BETA news agency reported.

The leaders of Bosnian tripartite Presidency, Milorad Dodik, Sefik Dzaferovic and Zeljko Komsic, as well as the presidents of Montenegro and Serbia, Milo Djukanovic and Aleksandar Vucic, will attend the Summit hosted by Croatian and Slovenian presidents Kolinda Grabar – Kitarovic and Borut Pahor.

Serbian President met on Monday afternoon with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini in Berlin.

Vucic told Mogherini that Serbia was ready to, "as soon as tomorrow" to continue the dialogue, if Pristina lifted their taxes on Serbian products.

"Whether that will happen is not in our hands," Vucic told reporters in Berlin.

He pointed out to Mogherini that it was about European values, and that the taxes were unsustainable.