Serbia’s EU accession depends on relations with Kosovo

EP rapporteur for Serbia David McAllister says negotiations on Serbia’s EU accession EU require “constant movement towards better relations with Kosovo”. He told the Belgrade-based tabloid Kurir that “this process should gradually lead to the normalization of relations between the two sides, with both being able to exercise their rights and fulfill their responsibilities.” “The normalization of relations should benefit the citizens of Serbia and Kosovo and is essential for preserving peace and stability in the region”, McAllister said, and welcomed Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic’s initiative to launch a domestic dialogue about this issue. The European Parliament (EP) official from Germany also remarked that that the EU will push neither Belgrade nor Pristina toward taking the initiative, and emphasized that “a sustainable normalization of relations will never be achieved by force, but only by consent of both sides.” McAllister also touched on “the state of the media in Serbia” to say that threats, violence and intimidation of journalists continue to be an issue of concern.