The head of the EU-Serbia European Parliamentary Committee, Eduard Kukan said during a meeting with a Serb parliamentary delegation that prior to EU accession, Belgrade and Pristina must reach a legally binding agreement which will address all existing problems.
According to him, the first step needed for this is the lifting of tax on Serbian imports by Pristina.
The draft of the final agreement between Kosovo and Serbia has finally been revealed. Based on this agreement, which has been made public in social networks in Kosovo, Mitrovica obtains the status of a Free City, while Trepca mining complex, which is estimated to have around 500 billion euros worth of natural resources, obtains a special status. This company will lead to the creation of a joint American-French-Chinese consortium which will exploit the mine for a period of 99 years.
The two most powerful countries of the European Union, Germany and France were not willing to discuss the issue of Western Balkans and Kosovo in Monday’s debates at the EU Council of Ministers meeting. Those countries who have spoken, have expressed their concern about Pristina’s plans to vote on Friday in favour of the transformation of KSF into an army, mentioning the threat for fresh tension.
In Kosovo, families of people who have gone missing during the last war have requested for this issue to be included in the talks being held in Brussels. This request was addressed during a debate held in Pristina regarding the way this issue should be tackled.
See at: https://www.balkaneu.com/the-fate-of-missing-persons-in-kosovo-is-yet-to-be-addressed/
By Roland Qafoku
It’s been several months now that a debate has been going on whether to change borders between Kosovo and Serbia. The declarations of four important politicians have taken this debate to a delicate point. Thaçi, Vucic, Bolton and Merkel almost agree with the idea of border changes, on condition that this does not spark tension. An analysis and a different perspective of the issue of the borders
See at: https://balkaneu.com/op-edkosovos-borders-concern-every-albanian/
The murder of the Serb politician from Kosovo Oliver Ivanovic was "planned in a professional manner and had political background"; "Oliver was definitely liquidated for political reasons as he was considered an obstacle due to his political views", Ivanovic's brother and Kosovo's Court of Appeal judge, Miroslav Ivanovic said, Independent Balkan News Agency (IBNA) reported.
World powers must back the efforts of the president of Serbia and president of Kosovo in striking a deal. This was said by the former US ambassador to Belgrade, Cameron Munter, adding the solution that would be reached between the two sides must be a win-win situation.
Commenting on a statement made by Vucic after the latest round of talks, Munter said that great powers will support the solution that will be proposed by the presidents of both countries.
“If they agree on a solution, then someone should offer support”, Munter said.
It’s been two years since the signing of the Agreement for the Normalization of Relations between Kosovo and Serbia.
The accord was signed on April 19, 2013 in Brussels by the prime ministers of Kosovo and Serbia, Hashim Thaci and Ivica Dacic, with the brokerage of the EU head of for foreign affairs, Catherine Ashton. The text contains 15 points.
European Parliament (EP) has approved on Wednesday a resolution on the progress of Kosovo proposed by MEP Ulrike Lunacek.
For the sixth time in a row, the European Parliament called on the European Union to exert its influence upon the five member countries which have not yet recognized the independence of Kosovo.
The resolution states that the recognition of Kosovo would further normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia and it would bring Kosovo further to the EU.
Pristina, February 11, 2015
By Elton Tota |
Kosovo’s PM, Isa Mustafa has visited the NATO headquarter on Tuesday upon the invitation of NATO’s Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg.
During this meeting, PM Mustafa thanked secretary Stoltenberg for the support that he has offered, by expressing the gratitude of the people and government of Kosovo for NATO and the collaboration that has existed so far and the support of KFOR not only in the domain of security, but also in other domains.