LOCAL PRESS 

Joksimovic: Serbia showing care for citizens and flexible sustainability (Tanjug/RTV) 

Serbian Minister for EU Integration Jadranka Joksimovic stated on Tuesday that all the reforms that Serbia has implemented in the field of rule of law in previous years with the support of the Council of Europe (CoE) have led to our country showing flexible sustainability and that the interest of the citizens is in the first place. Addressing the second meeting of the Steering Board of the joint program of the EU and the CoE “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”, Joksimovic pointed out that Serbia managed to provide citizens with a high level of service and care for everything that has been important during the pandemic. These are the right to the right information, the care for the health of citizens, access to instruments for solving all the challenges that a situation like a pandemic imposes. She said that the rule of law must be an everyday topic, because it covers all the most important areas that define the success of a democratic society. According to her, that means equal access to justice and protection of all basic, human and all other rights. Joksimovic assessed that there is another set of necessary reforms that should gain momentum in Serbia, and added that the process was “blocked” due to the pandemic, but also due to the events in the EU itself, which is facing numerous challenges.

Borrell: Time to conclude Belgrade-Pristina dialogue (N1) 

EU High Representative Josep Borrell said on Tuesday that it’s time to conclude the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue, recalling that the process was started 10 years earlier. “We have come a long way, it’s time to conclude the process,” Borrell wrote on his Twitter account. He tweeted that the EU is working with Belgrade and Pristina on an agreement to normalize their relations which would open the way to their European future.

Against ‘tutor’ with help of Russia (Novosti)

Advisor to the Serb member of the Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) Presidency (Milorad Dodik) Radovan Kovacevic told the daily that the Republika Srpska (RS) will deliver its stance on the High Representative to everyone in the UN Security Council (UN SC). “It is the fact that Russia has most understanding for stances of the RS. We are not making a problem related to personnel solution, but we are problematizing the arrival of a new High Representative. We deem that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) must be shut down and that the High Representative should leave B&H,” Kovacevic said and argued that the UN SC members should know that the High Representative will have no significance should he arrive to B&H without the procedure stipulated by the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), i.e. signatories of the DPA – Serbia, Croatia, RS and Federation of B&H – must reach consensus on a candidate and only then the UN SC confirms the candidate. Professor of international relations Zeljko Budimir said that confirmation of the proposal for the new High Representative will depend on the stance of Russia and reminded that Russia already presented the stance that the OHR completed its role in B&H. “This strategic diplomatic support to the RS coming from Russia will be very important in the upcoming period of time because it still remains to be seen what kind of activities and moves the new US Administration and US President Joseph Biden will make,” Budimir said. Leader of ‘United Srpska’ and Chair of Serb Caucus in the Parliament of B&H Nenad Stevandic told the daily that Russia has never done any wrong to B&H or any of the three people who live in B&H and he noted: “The world public does not realize that the RS is protecting the DPA when it addresses Russia for help”.

Tanjug news agency wiped from Register of Economic Entities (Beta) 

The Tanjug news agency public company has been deleted from the Agency for Economic Registers' register of economic entities. The decision was brought based on a deletion request handed in by the agency's former director Branka Djukic. The Republic Property Directorate told the Association of Journalists of Serbia (UNS) in December last year that Tacno company from Belgrade had purchased the rights to dispose with Tanjug's property for a certain period of time for EUR628,000. The founders of Tacno are RTV Pancevo which owns 60 percent and Minacord Media which owns 40 percent of the company's capital. The Serbian Cabinet passed a decision back in 2015 to close Tanjug.

REGIONAL PRESS 

 

Turkovic meets Maas; Maas: Possible appointment of Schmidt as High Representative is evidence Germany wants to be engaged in B&H (BHT1)

B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Bisera Turkovic talked with the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Heiko Maas and the German candidate for High Representative in B&H Christian Schmidt in Berlin on the topic of the appointment of the new High Representative in B&H. Maas said that the Office of the High Representative (OHR) needs to exist and that they want to be engaged through Schmidt’s candidacy who has Germany’s support. Turkovic said there is a need for the High Representatives who has to have a stronger role. After the meeting, Maas stated: “We have a lot of support for Mr. Christian Schmidt. I believe in areas where we have not reached an agreement, it is not due to Christian Schmidt’s person but it is a question whether that position and that Office need to exist. Based on what we heard, when it comes to problems in B&H, we find it practical that this Office continues to exist. With Christian Schmidt’s candidacy, we want to say that we want to be engaged in this process”. Turkovic stated: “What is important is that there is a need for the High Representative. There is a need for clearly defined goals and dynamics and we need to know the time period for which the processes of speeding up the development of B&H is planned, so they can be completed”. COVID-19 pandemic and difficulties concerning procurement of vaccines were in focus of this meeting. Turkovic stated that COVAX is the most responsible for that fact that B&H still has not started with the process of immunization. She asked Minister Maas to help in solving of this problem. “B&H trusted COVIX mechanism. It paid for vaccines and still has not received first shipments” said Minister Turkovic. Maas underlined that when it comes to assistance in overcoming consequences of Coronavirus, the EU prepared EUR 12 billion for the Western Balkans countries. Maas said that Germany has clearly expressed its support to B&H by nominating reputable politician Schmidt for the new HR, adding that Germany will thus continue to follow B&H’s path from Dayton to Brussels. Some of the local media in B&H have previously speculated about Schmidt not being in the best interest for B&H given his alleged close ties with Croatian politicians. Asked by a German journalist to comment on these speculations, Turkovic said that there will always be those who oppose the appointment of certain candidates to the post of a minister or president, but what really matters is that there is the need for the HR in B&H.

Dodik: Turkovic stated her own opinion in regards to OHR during her talk with Maas, not the official stance of B&H (Srna/ATV)

 

Serb member and Chairman of the B&H Presidency Milorad Dodik told Srna  that B&H Minister of Foreign Affairs Bisera Turkovic, in a conversation with German Foreign Affairs Minister Heiko Maas, stated her own or the party's position, and not the position of B&H, and that he would like Minister Maas to know that as well. “With full respect for Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and the state of Germany, I must say that he was deceived by the statement of Bisera Turkovic, who knows very well that B&H does not have a consensus on the future of the OHR (Office of the High Representative)”, Dodik said when asked to comment on Turkovic's meeting with Maas, during which she said that there is a need for a High Representative (HR) in B&H. “I would like to emphasize once again that our opposition has nothing to do with the personality of Christian Schmidt, whom Germany sees at that post, and who certainly has huge political potential. We simply believe that we do not need the High Representative, who has been an obstacle to progress in B&H. And if one of the five parties that are signatories to Annex 10 does not ask for his arrival, then it is not even possible in a legal way,” Dodik emphasized.

HNS: Turkovic has been using B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promotion of her personal stances, not stances of B&H (N1)

Commenting on Turkovic’s statements, the Croat People's Assembly (HNS) stated on Tuesday that Turkovic has been using B&H Ministry of Foreign Affairs for promotion of her personal particular stances, not stances of the state of B&H, adding that her statement asking for stronger engagement of the OHR backed by the US and new administration represents a severe diplomatic and political omissions on the EU path of B&H. The HNS reacted negatively to Turkovic’s invitation for stronger involvement of the OHR helped by the US when it comes to reforms of election legislation.

Tegeltija: Only first HR Carl Bildt was appointed in line with Annex 10 of DPA (Glas Srpske)

The RS parliament will hold a special session on Wednesday dedicated to the work of the High Representative and the issue of appointment of the new High Representative. Milan Tegeltija, legal advisor to B&H Presidency member Milorad Dodik, explained that in line with the Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA) which regulates the implementation of the civilian aspect of DPA, High Representatives are appointed upon request of the parties to the agreement. The Annex 10 also lists the parties to the agreement as the Republic of B&H, Republic of Croatia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the FB&H)and the RS. According to Tegeltija, only the first High Representative, Carl Bildt, was appointed upon request of DPA parties. All other High Representatives were appointed upon request of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC). “Appointment of the new High Representative cannot be viewed simply as a personnel change in the leadership of OHR which exists separately from the appointed person. Every new appointment of the High Representative must be provided with previous request, i.e. approval of the signatory parties, as stipulated by the Annex 10”, said Tegeltija. Prior to Wednesday’s special session, RS MPs received working material which emphasizes, among other issues, that the Annex 10 of DPA merely defines the tasks of the High Representative, the PIC Steering Board never had the right to regulate and define the mandate and competences of the High Representative, and the UN Security Council never approved any amendments to the competences of the High Representative listed in the Annex 10. The daily reminds that former European Commission’s Ambassador to B&H Dimitris Kourkoulas also stated that there is no precise procedure for appointment of the High Representative, but the decision is made by the PIC and all its members can propose candidates. The Russian Embassy stated that Canadian diplomat Joseph Ingram is also nominated for the post of High Representative. The Russian Embassy also reiterated that Russia’s stance regarding the closure of OHR remains unchanged.

Izetbegovic: Positions of SDA and HDZ B&H are too distant in regards to changes to Election Law (N1/Fena)

In an interview to Fena , SDA leader Bakir Izetbegovic spoke about current talks on amending the B&H Election Law, among other things. He said that after the agreement on Mostar, the international partners have felt an additional dose of optimism that an agreement can be reached at the state-level as well. Izetbegovic stressed that he would not want to see failure of the current talks, but that he is afraid that this will happen soon after all because of “too different stances” of SDA and HDZ B&H. Izetbegovic stated that SDA and HDZ B&H currently have distant positions and that changes to the Election Law will probably not take place. Izetbegovic deems that other parliamentary parties and legal experts should be included in talks concerning electoral legislation. He stressed that everyone is frustrated with some parts of the Dayton Constitution. “Croats have their frustrations. We are frustrated with the fact that one party with 15 out of some 98 MPs can stop everything it wants. It does not want to let us form the new Federation of B&H Government or to fill in the Constitutional Court, without explanation. There is asymmetry. The situation is not the same in the RS,” explained the leader of SDA. Izetbegovic stated: “Between us (SDA) and HDZ B&H, I am not allowing these negotiations to fail, but I am afraid we are near the point where we will have to admit this is not working, because (our) positions are far away already. SDA insists on the implementation of the Sejdic-Finci verdict and other verdicts of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) which are based on civic principles and insist that any citizen in this country, from any part of its territory, has the right to vote for whom they want and that they can run for any position they want. HDZ B&H is against that. They would kill the chance for Sejdic-Finci to be solved, as well as other verdicts”.

RS officials deem motion filed by seven SDA delegates in RS CoP with B&H CC, by which they request for law on RS forests to be declared unconstitutional, represents attack on RS and its property (RTRS)

RS officials deem a motion filed by seven SDA delegates in the RS Council of Peoples (CoP) with the B&H Constitutional Court (CC), by which they request for the law on the RS forests to be declared unconstitutional, represents an attack on the RS and its property. Both the politicians and jurists in the RS say that it is clear that part of the Bosniak Caucus counts on support of B&H CC and the Office of the High Representative (OHR), warning that it is yet another attempt to transfer the competences to the level of B&H which must not be allowed by the RS. According to RS President Zeljka Cvijanovic, the motion also represents an attack on foundations of the Dayton-based B&H. “The motion does not only dispute this specific law but it also disputes the Constitution of B&H in which there is not a single provision that recognizes B&H’s right to own and dispose the forest and its land”, Cvijanovic assessed. She added that delegates who filed a motion count on support of the OHR, B&H CC, foreign judges and part of the international factor with an aim to disempower the RS and creation of a unitary state. She stressed that the most shocking thing is that the RS’ right to regulate the field of disposal and control of forests and forests land with its own legislation was disputed by the motion. RS parliament speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic (DEMOS) said that the motion represents yet another way to dispute certain decisions and application of certain laws. He added that he expects from B&H CC to stick to its competences and not to be promotor of certain policies in B&H. RS parliament deputy speaker and lawyer Milan Petkovic stated that it is possible that the motion is part of intention to seize the competences in the field of agriculture, water management and forestry and then to transfer the competences to the level of B&H in order to create the state-level ministry of agriculture, water management and forestry. He concluded that it is obvious that there is a plan to impose decisions on the RS and that Bosniak politicians now use B&H CC to implement their goals the same as they did before through the OHR. Head of the SDS Caucus in the RS Miladin Stanic reminded that according to the DPA, B&H does not own the property apart from the property related to military property, whereas lands, forests and waters are the property of the RS. Representative of the ‘Together for B&H’ Coalition in the RS parliament Edin Ramic (SDA) stated that nobody disputes the right of the RS or the FB&H authorities to have the disputable land at disposal, but they cannot own it. “They keep trying to create a construction in which B&H is a product of agreement between the two entities, and the RS is owner of everything in its territory - not the state of B&H”, Ramic noted. Chair of PDP Caucus in the RS parliament Perica Bundalo said that the motion is disastrous and added that, in case B&H CC accepts it, it will open the door to depriving of the RS of its competencies. “Up until now, they disputed validity of individual laws or individual provisions because they allegedly were not harmonized with the RS Constitution, but now they skipped the RS CC and went straight to B&H CC, disputed constitutional provisions and constitutional rights and invoked wartime laws that were signed by Alija Izetbegovic. This is disaster,” Bundalo assessed and argued that, should this motion be adopted, this would mean that the entire RS Constitution might be put out of force in future. SNSD’s Dusica Solaja said that this is an abuse of the RS CoP and argued that the motion represents a direct violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement (DPA), i.e. B&H Constitution which stipulates that property belongs to the entities unless the entities agree otherwise.

Dodik and Vucic agree that Serbia will intensify its support to RS, RS experts will take part in joint development of textbooks for Serbia, RS (RTRS)

B&H Presidency Chairman Milorad Dodik and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic agreed at a meeting in Belgrade on Tuesday that Serbia’s assistance to the RS will be intensified in the upcoming period. According to Vucic’s press office, Serbia will provide significant support to the municipalities of Kostajnica, Kozarska Dubica, Nevesinje and Drvar at the request of Dodik, and these less developed municipalities of the RS and the FB&H which were partially damaged in the last earthquakes are of special strategic importance for the Serb people as a whole. Vucic and Dodik also assessed that the Serb people should provide the most unique answer to modern challenges in politics, economy, and particularly culture and education. They agreed that the RS experts will take part in the joint development of textbooks for the Serbian Language, history and geography for Serbia and the RS. Vucic stressed that Serbia would help and always be with its people west of the Drina River, respecting international laws and the territorial integrity of B&H. Dodik particularly thanked Serbia for the COVID-19 vaccines it donated to the RS and B&H. The two officials also discussed the importance of the upcoming visits of the two officials to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Turkey. According to earlier announcements, Dodik and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will sign on 16 March in Ankara an agreement between the B&H Council of Ministers (B&H CoM) and the Turkey’s government on cooperation in infrastructural and construction projects. This will also include the implementation of project of construction of Sarajevo-Belgrade highway.

 

Colak: Each people should elect their representatives in the institutions (Vecernji list)

Vecernji list daily reads that long awaited talks between HDZ B&H and SDA related to changes to the Law on Elections of B&H will start in the coming days, which is about the start of realization of the agreement reached by the two parties in June of 2020 (Note: the so-called Mostar Agreement). According to the daily, ‘political Sarajevo’ has been avoiding to sit down at the negotiating table, however it would appear that the mediation and interest of the US administration and the EU representatives are paying dividends. In a statement for the daily, delegate in the B&H House of Peoples Barisa Colak (HDZ B&H) said the issue of changes to the Law on Elections should have been tackled long ago. According to Colak, if one accepts a principle, according to which each people should elect their representatives in the institutions, foremost in the Presidency (of B&H) and the House of Peoples, “then of course we will identify a solution”. He went on to say that everyone must understand the Law on Elections is a political priority and that an agreement in the matter must be reached as soon as possible since next year is an election year.

 

Milosevic: Security situation in Niksic shows danger signs (CdM)

The security situation in the town of Niksic is stable but shows danger signs, and in case of disturbing the public peace and order during the election, competent bodies will react promptly so that citizens may feel safe, State Secretary of the Ministry of Interior Rade Milosevic said at the news conference. “We monitor the situation on a daily basis. We need to reinforce measures. We believe that detailed controls of entry and exit of all suspicious persons need to be carried out. In our opinion, all gatherings should be prohibited on the election day, as well as car convoys and political gatherings. Celebrations of election result of any political party should be prohibited,” he noted. He further unveils the security situation in the town of Niksic. “There are danger signs. It means that we’re going to take all necessary measures.” Milosevic accused the assistant commander of the border police, Dragan Backovic, of putting pressure on his staff during the earlier elections – back in 2013. According to him, Backovic submitted lists of his employees and their members of families, along with their data and polling stations and for whom they would vote. Milosevic also claims they know that ex-director of the police, Veselin Vujosevic, and ex-head of the Sector for the Fight Against Organized Crime, Zoran Lazovic, often visit Niksic. “We know that people organize meetings and make pressure.” However, they have no physical evidence about it. On electoral roll: “We’ve done everything we could for this short period of time. Every application has been processed.” According to him, MUP sent its colleagues from Serbia a letter urging them to check on the alleged double voting.

Prohibit political gatherings and motorcades (RTCG)

State Secretary at the Ministry of Interior Rade Milosevic said police were ready to ensure the Niksic elections were held in a peaceful and fair atmosphere. Milosevic called on everyone in the Niksic police to report any political pressure ahead of the election. He also stated that in some companies there is pressure on employees, in order to influence the electoral will. He called on all Niksic residents to report any cases of political pressure. When it comes to the security situation in Niksic, Milosevic stated that they had made a proposal of measures, which they think should be implemented on election day and before the elections. "In our opinion the measures should be further strengthened, detailed controls on entry into Montenegro, entry into Niksic, detailed checks of security interesting persons should be done, and all gatherings, motorcades and political rallies should be banned, with an emphasis on election day, when we propose to establish prohibitive measures that would prevent the celebrations," Milosevic said. He stated that the security situation is moderate to high risk oriented. "Individuals who, or if they plan to, cause any unrest on election day, should know that the police and state authorities will react sharply, that we are ready, we have a plan B, and we will respond adequately," Milosevic said, calling for respect for epidemiological measures.

 

Zaev says his proposal for broad coalition refers to all parties (Sitel TV/Republika)

Prime Minister Zoran Zaev says he did not offer a broad coalition set to happen but only opened the topic, adding it is a model of governance that could prove to be the best for the country. I did not offer a broad coalition. I shared an idea worth contemplating, let our people think, Zaev told Sitel TV on Tuesday. He says that together more can be done for the state, for it to be more efficient, better. “The offer can happen in a month, after the local elections, it can happen at the next parliamentary elections… But someone needs to open this topic. This is part of my new policy,” said Zaev. The proposal for a broad coalition refers to all parties and refers to the period starting from now, the period after the local elections, the next regular parliamentary elections or whenever. It is my personal commitment – to follow European models, to help the country move forward efficiently and expediently, in order to better serve the citizens, said Prime Minister Zoran Zaev, answering reporters’ questions at Tuesday’s press conference at which the “Europe at Home” Agenda was promoted. Zaev stressed that the message was a personal position and aims to open a debate. Asked whether the call for a broad government was only for VMRO-DPMNE or the Albanian opposition, Zaev said that the message is to all and that it speaks for the inclusion of all, following the example of Germany, which includes the left and the right, the Swiss model or Austria from a few years ago. The countries are moving successfully and they are really an example on the European continent in how it is done. I also told the reasons. First, to unite all our people in the country and second, to speed up the processes that are one of the most painful – departization of the administration, removal of clientelism in public administration, judiciary or local governments, said Zaev. According to Zaev, that brings serious benefits and increased dynamics, which our citizens deserve, but that it is not possible with Hristijan Mickoski.

Misajlovski: VMRO-DPMNE will neither negotiate nor accept a joint government with Zaev’s mafia (TV Alfa/Republika)

The position of VMRO-DPMNE is that we will neither negotiate nor accept to form a joint government with the mafia, and we said that immediately, the vice president of VMRO-DPMNE, Vlado Misajlovski said on the “Sto ne e jasno” show on TV Alfa in relation to Zoran Zaev’s proposal for a broad government. Misajlovski stressed that VMRO-DPMNE will never support someone like Zaev who sells the identity and history, and as we have seen in the elections he won by bribery, while in the meantime he is persecuting the opposition. This bluff of Zaev was also a message to his coalition partners, to the smaller parties in the coalition. They have huge problems in the coalition and the government, their organs, institutions, government and Parliament are not functioning. There was no quorum for work even today. They boasted that they secured a large majority, and now it came down to checking if there is a majority, says Misajlovski. Misajlovski pointed out that Zaev’s intentions, as always, are dishonest and he will try with all possible mechanisms, blackmail and threats to keep that bunch in power.

 

CEC starts the verification of the candidacy documents (Radio Tirana)

"Immediately after the submission of multi-name lists by electoral subjects, the CEC has started verifying the candidacy documents. The verification of the self-declaration forms (decriminalization) is being done in cooperation with the Directorate of Prisons," writes Celibashi. The 8th of March, at 24:00, officially marked the end of the official deadline for submitting to the CEC the lists of candidates for deputies. All political forces have submitted their teams. Of the 3 forces, the first major party to submit multi-name lists was the Socialist Movement for Integration. The chairwoman of the SMI, Monika Kryemadhi, read the names in the 12 districts. Later in the evening, after the meeting of the Chairmanship, it was the Socialist Party that made public about 160 names in 12 districts. Unlike the first two, Lulzim Basha waited until the last minute to submit to the CEC the names of his candidates and the alliance he leads.

Albanians are second only to Syrians as asylum seekers in the EU (Tirana Times)

Even during a pandemic year, the number of the Albanians applying for asylum in the European Union is second in the world, in relation to the population. According to the latest data from the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), in 20220 6,600 applications and re-applications by Albanian citizens were made in the member states of the European Union. Although these numbers suggest that the number of applications dropped by 70% compared to 2019 as a result of the pandemic, nevertheless it is concerning that Albania continues to be one of the biggest exporters of asylum seekers in the EU in relation to population, coming second only to Syria. According to EASO, Albania had 2,300 applications per 1 million inhabitants, while Syria had 4,000 applications for 1 million inhabitants, followed by Algeria with 1858 applications per 1 million inhabitants, and Afghanistan with 1277 applications per 1 million inhabitants. From the Western Balkans Kosovo was ranked fifth in the world for asylum seekers in relation to the population. During April and May of 2020, when most of the countries of the EU were experiencing heavy lockdowns, Albanian citizens sent respectively 146 and 90 applications for asylum. During the following months that number increased significantly, especially in September and October, with over 600 applications. Compared to the Western Balkans, Albania continues to be the country with the highest number of asylum seekers. Serbia for 2020 had 2,600 asylum seekers, Kosovo 2,100, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1,300, North Macedonia 1,230 and Montenegro 207.

 

INTERNATIONAL MEDIA SOURCES 

10 years of Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue (European External Action Service, 9 March 2021) 

10 years ago, on 8 and 9 March 2011, Edita Tahiri, Borko Stefanovic and Robert Cooper sat down for the very first time to leave the past behind and discuss how to find ways forward for the future cooperation between Kosovo and Serbia. It came six months after the United Nations General Assembly welcomed the readiness of the European Union to facilitate a process of dialogue between the two parties, knowing that the dialogue in itself would be a factor for peace, security and stability in the region. The goal was clear: to promote cooperation, achieve progress on their respective European path, and improve the lives of the people. The two parties facilitated by the EU got to work and 10 years on, much has been achieved. Important agreements were brokered so that today, people and goods move freely between Kosovo and Serbia, the judiciary and police structures in northern Kosovo have been integrated, Kosovo has its own international dial code and participates  in all regional formats, to name a few. Today, the Dialogue is at the core of the EU work in the Western Balkans, a key element of reconciliation, good neighbourly relations and a reflection of the fulfilment of the EU perspective for the region.

10 years after it started, facilitated by no less than three High Representatives – Baroness Catherine Ashton, Federica Mogherini and now Josep Borrell – the Dialogue has developed into a high level political process dealing with the most complex and sensitive issues at the core of the relationship between Kosovo and Serbia. There have been difficult moments and times of crisis and at times may have seemed impossible to continue. However, in the end, both Kosovo and Serbia have shown steadfast commitment, knowing that their paths to the European Union goes right through it. However, a decade is a very long time. This is why it is right that the Dialogue should now reach its final stretch. The European Union strongly believes that is time to bring the Dialogue to a successful conclusion with one comprehensive legally-binding normalisation agreement between Kosovo and Serbia dealing with all outstanding issues; and it is working with the two Parties to meet this goal.