Joint Op-Ed by Federica Mogherini, High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission and Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany.

Today marks a new beginning. For Kosovo, for the Balkans, for the whole of Europe. After four years of hard work – by both Kosovo and the European Union – the Stabilisation and Association Agreement between Kosovo and the EU enters into force.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said today that everything what was agreed in the Brussels must be implemented. At the press conference with Serbian PM Aleksandar Vucic, Steinmeier said: "What has been agreed in Brussels should be implemented and I haven’t heard any statement claiming opposite.

Kosovo’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Hashim Thaci, met today in Vienna with Germany Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Through a Facebook post, Thaci said that Steinmeier congratulated Kosovo on the recent successes and said that Kosovo made brave steps towards integration in the European Union and NATO.  “Germany will be with us during the coming weeks that will unfold very important steps for the people of Kosovo,” Thaci wrote from Vienna where he is participating in the Western Balkans Summit.

On a visit to Kosovo, the German Foreign Minister has reassured Kosovo about the planned special war crimes court, saying sensitive historical issues need to be dealt with openly. Germany's Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, said that the creation of a special court on war crimes committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA, during the conflict of the 1990s is an essential tool for Kosovo to deal with unresolved issues from the past.