Successful implementation of the Stabilization Association Agreement will be determinant for the future of Kosovo towards the next step, gaining the status of the candidate for European Union membership. For successful implementation of the SAA, Kosovo needs to have strong institutions and a functional Assembly.
The negotiating position of the European Union for Chapter 35, which refers to the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina has not been finished and has not arrived in Belgrade, was said today in the Serbian government. Serbian Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic stated that EU members should harmonize their negotiating position. “New formulation which would be acceptable for all must be found,” briefly said Dacic.
Head of the European Union Office in Kosovo, Samuel Zbogar, said today that the dialogue between Pristina and Belgrade does not have an alternative; however, he requested from the institutions of Kosovo more transparency of the process. Zbogar made these comments during the promotion of the “Big Deal”report by BIRN, Internews Kosova and Advocacy Center for Democratic Culture (ACDC) organizations, which concerns the dialogue process. “We have also lost the opposition, and the situation is such.
During talk show "Upitnik" which was broadcasted on RTS, Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic stated that Chapters 32 and 35 will be opened on 14 December. “This is result of the citizens’ efforts, for which I congratulate them," Vucic said.
Former Serbian Ambassador to Germany Ivo Viskovic said that conditions for Serbia's EU integration will remain, but it is favourable that Germany, at the end, gave up the additional amendments, which supposed to be included in Chapter 35 on Kosovo. “That's a good sign, one intentional concession, presented to the government by Ernst Reichel who is responsible for South Eastern Europe and Turkey in the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” said Viskovic.
Creation of the Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities is conditioned with the removal of Serbian parallel structures in Kosovo, says Kosovo government. This is the agreement that was in principle reached in Brussels and is parallel with a process of drafting the status of the A/CSM, where three-party group would work on the abolishment of ‘parallel structures’.
The opening of chapters in the EU accession talks is a significant positive signal and an acknowledgement for all the reforms undertaken by the Serbian government, says Serbian Minister of European Integration Jadranka Joksimovic.
"Officially, we opened the negotiations in 2014 and we have completed the screening - the opening of chapters is the next step and a significant positive signal," Joksimovic said to RTS.
Kosovo government yesterday presented to the European Union a short report on the progress and challenges in the implementation of the Brussels agreements this year. The report presents the overall process of implementation of all agreements reached in Brussels and is signed by Kosovo’s Minister without portfolio and chief negotiator in the technical dialogue, Edita Tahiri.