Raseta: Dialogue between Vucic and Costa was expected, talks must return to the right track

Dragoslav Raseta from the New Third Way organization stated that it was expected the issue of Belgrade and Pristina would be raised during the meeting between Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and the President of the European Council Antonio Costa.

“Some achievements—both of a technical nature and substantial breakthroughs that moved the process beyond zero, especially with the signing of the Ohrid Agreement—have now dissipated. We are witnessing a lack of unity between Brussels and Washington on how to approach this issue, which, compounded by much more significant geopolitical challenges both capitals are facing, makes it necessary to find a way to return the normalization dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina to the right track,” Raseta said.

Regarding the messaging—and especially the fact that Costa visited despite initiatives from some in Brussels to cancel the trip—Raseta noted that there were no deviations from the EU’s established strategy and from what Costa had already emphasized prior to his visit to the Western Balkans: that the region’s progress toward European integration must not be stalled.

“This same message was reiterated during the joint press conference, where the focus was again placed on reforms Serbia must implement—particularly regarding media freedom, electoral reform, and the fight against corruption. But perhaps most importantly for the EU is alignment with Brussels’ foreign policy,” Raseta explained.

He emphasized that the key message Brussels is sending to the Western Balkans is that the EU cannot be fully secure without the region integrated within it.

“The core message of this visit is that the Western Balkans remains the last region not fully integrated into the EU—it is essentially the EU’s backyard and a missing piece. Without the Western Balkans, the EU cannot be entirely secure, especially now as it faces numerous security threats, particularly those emanating from Russia—both through hard power and hybrid tactics, which are frequently emphasized. From that perspective, I believe that at the upcoming summit in Tirana, security will be the top priority—and the role of Western Balkan countries in that context will be crucial,” Raseta concluded.