Stalemate in Belgrade-Pristina Talks in Brussels

No progress was achieved in implementing the agreement between Belgrade and Pristina in Brussels, as confirmed by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, during his latest statement on Wednesday.

Following meetings with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, Borrell expressed the European Union’s continued commitment to facilitating the normalization of relations between the two parties.

Borrell’s Remarks: “Kosovo was not ready for this, Kosovo was not willing to do this trilateral meeting. Serbia was ready to do it, but you need two to dance tango and we need two to sit around the table in order to continue the dialogue,” Borrell added.

Serbian and Kosovo leaders convened in Brussels to discuss the implementation of an EU-backed plan aimed at normalizing ties. However, unresolved issues, particularly Pristina’s demands for Belgrade to hand over the suspected organizers of the Banjska attack, hindered further progress.

The Banjska Attack: The attack occurred in the north of Kosovo in September of last year, involving masked gunmen opening fire on a police patrol, resulting in the death of one officer, followed by a standoff at a nearby Orthodox monastery.

Prior to the meeting, Borrell expressed hope for a positive outcome, stating that a new round of dialogue could potentially yield a different result.

Despite the efforts, with the European elections in June and ongoing negotiations for EU top positions, Borrell is expected to be succeeded as the EU’s foreign policy chief by Estonian PM Kaja Kallas later in the year.

EU Warning: Brussels has cautioned both Belgrade and Pristina that a failure to compromise poses a threat to both Serbia and Kosovo’s aspirations to join the European Union.

Background: Kosovo, a former Serbian province, declared independence in 2008, a move that Belgrade refuses to recognize.