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EU commissioner urges Kosovo to continue dialogue with Serbia

Xinhua, November 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

EU Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn paid a visit to Pristina on Friday, asking Kosovo to implement the agreements with Serbia.

The focus of the visit is whether the EU commissioner could ease tensions in the domestic politics which worsened after Pristina reached an agreement with Belgrade on the Association of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo. The opposition rejects the agreement and has been obstructing the work of the Kosovo Assembly since September, even by using tear gas.

"Kosovo will need to implement the agreements it has reached with Serbia, and continue to work towards further agreements," Hahn told the Assembly, which had a normal meeting due to the ceremonial character it had because of Hahn's visit.

"Kosovo has much if not everything to gain from the dialogue, and it has an awfully lot to lose without the dialogue," clearly said Hahn. EU has been constantly calling on opposition block to stop using violence and Hahn underlined that "those who obstruct the free exchange of views have lost the argument before the debate has even started."

His assembly addressing followed a series of meetings with senior Kosovo officials, including President Atifete Jahjaga, Prime Minister Isa Mustafa, the speaker of the Assembly, Kadri Veseli and Kosovo Serb representatives.

His visit was arranged on the occasion of SAA approval by Kosovo Assembly last Monday, and initially signed on Oct. 27. Hahn mentioned the agreement is something Kosovo can be proud of, and this important achievement involved a lot of hard work by dedicated people on both sides.

However, political representatives from the opposition showed no change in their attitude despite the clear messages of Hahn.

The leader of Vetevendosje Movement, Visar Ymeri, reiterated that the opposition will continue to block the Assembly despite the warning by Hahn that if the agreement is not implemented the SAA might be suspended.

Other opposition party AAK, said that they "believe that by defending the interests of the citizens of Kosovo we are defending western values. The agreements on the Association and Demarcation are not fair and as such cannot be in the interest of citizens."

The speaker of the Kosovo assembly Kadri Veseli from the ruling coalition said that the visit was encouraging, and that Kosovo's path to EU is already defined.

However, he urged the EU to move quicker in regard to Kosovo and its citizens, and also to agree on visa free regime which Kosovo is negotiating with the EU.

Kosovo is a southern province of Serbia, which unilaterally declared independence in 2008. Enditem