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Bulgaria denies Madrid: "No veto to Kosovo, or signatures from the Balkans" (Blic)

Ambassadors of all 28 EU member states, including Spain, approved a draft declaration that should be accepted at the summit EU - Western Balkans in Sofia, Tanjug learns in Brussels.

"The draft of the Declaration was approved by the ambassador of Spain to the EU, and it is up to the member states to accept it," Bulgaria's Permanent Representative to the EU Genoveva Cervenakova told Tanjug.

Spanish veto for Kosovo at the summit in Sofia (Serbian media)

Spain has vetoed the draft text of a joint declaration planned for publication during the summit in Sofia, writes Spanish El Pais, Serbian media reports.

As stated, the reason is "not an EU foreign policy", rather the aim is that "the name and signature of Mariano Rajoy not to be found in the same document, on the same level as the leader of Kosovo", reports Serbian media.

Dacic: East Kosovo - goals from the time of the Prizren League (Kontakt plus radio, Tanjug, Vecernje Novosti)

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ivica Dacic emphasizes today that it is not the first time that some Kosovo officials called Presevo and Bujanovac, eastern Kosovo, reminding that these are the goals since the Prizren League to the present day, report Serbian media.

Dacic was asked to comment Kosovo Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj's statement on eastern Kosovo, and said that he does not know exactly what he said in Albanian but that he has no dilemma about it.

"Balkans in strategic region for Europe," says EU official (B92)

EU foreign ministers are meeting on Monday in Luxembourg, with the Western Balkans among the items on their agenda.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini addressed reporters ahead of the EU Foreign Affairs Council to announce that this will be "a chance with to exchange views on how to better work with our partners in the Western Balkans for our common security and prosperity."

"Berlin does not seek recognition of Kosovo, but recalls the model of "Two Germanys" (Blic)

Germany will not ask Belgrade to officially recognize Kosovo's independence, but it recalls the model of "Two Germanys", assess Franz-Lothar Altmann, professor of the University of Bucharest ahead of the meeting of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Belgrade based daily Blic reports.

Vucic speaks with Bulgarian PM, summit controversy on agenda (B92)

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has met in Mostar with the prime minister of Bulgaria, the country that currently holds EU's rotating presidency.

Vucic - who is in this Bosnian town for an economic fair - and Boyko Borisov spoke, among other topics, about the upcoming EU-Western Balkans Summit in Bulgaria, whose format is opposed by Spain, Romania, and Cyprus because of the announced presence of representatives of the unrecognized Kosovo.

"Bulgaria will fully respect Kosovo’s status neutrality" (RTS, Vecernje Novosti, Tanjug, B92)

Spokesman for the Bulgarian EU presidency Genoveva Chervenakova says to Belgrade based daily Vecernje Novosti that Bulgaria will fully respect the status neutrality of Kosovo at the EU-Western Balkans summit to be organized in May.

PM asked what Serbia intends to do on issue of Kosovo (B92, Tanjug)

PM Ana Brnabic said on Monday she would support Serbs in Kosovo in forming the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) if Pristina fails to do it.

"If Pristina doesn't want to respect its own obligations, of course - I will offer my full support to Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija to form the ZSO, and that will be during April," Brnabic told reporters.

Expert: Western Balkans economic union unfavourable for Kosovo (RFE)

Economy and European integration experts in Kosovo view the recent Western Balkans in Trieste, Italy as one of the most important events of the year for the region that aspires to join the EU. However, some believe that the idea to set up a Western Balkans economic union would be unfavourable for Kosovo.