Borrell: Serbs to return to institutions, Kosovo to start forming CSM and withdraw the decision on vehicle license plates

High EU Representative Josep Borrell reiterated in meetings with the Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti that Kosovo Serbs should immediately return to Kosovo institutions and resume their duties, and that Kosovo should harmonize its actions regarding vehicle license plates with past agreements of the Dialogue and start negotiations on the establishment of the CSM without further delay. 

"These commitments, undertaken within the framework of the Dialogue, remain valid and binding," Borrell, as announced by the Press Team of the European Union.

During the meetings, he also said that both sides must engage constructively, show willingness to compromise and respect their obligations in the Dialogue, the Press Team of the European Union announced.

As stated, the goal of the meetings was to resolve critical challenges in relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and that the talks were focused on helping the parties find urgently needed solutions to the current crisis and maintaining peace and stability on the ground.

"The current geopolitical environment makes it even more imperative to overcome the legacies of the past and engage in meaningful negotiations on what really matters for Kosovo, Serbia, their people and the entire region - which is the normalisation of relations between the two parties as a key factor for them to move forward on their respective European path", Borrell said.

He added that it is important to refrain from any unilateral actions and inflammatory rhetoric.

"With the war in Ukraine, Europe cannot have another conflict on its soil. It is the responsibility of the parties to avoid this for the benefit of their own people, who stand to lose most if the current escalatory behavior is not reversed. Inability to deliver on obligations and de-escalation swiftly will have damaging consequences first of all on the people in Kosovo and Serbia, for the European future of both parties and their credibility in the eyes of European and international partners," Borrell said.