The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, called on Serbia during a visit to Belgrade on Tuesday to implement the agreements reached so far between it and Kosovo.

Speaking at a press conference after the meeting with President Vucic, Leyen stated that “the violent attack of September 24 in the north of Kosovo is completely unacceptable, the perpetrators must be brought to justice and held accountable. It is crucial that both sides commit and follow the path of normalization.

On September 24, an armed group of Serbs attacked the Kosovo police in the village of Banjské in northern Kosovo, killing one policeman. Three Serbian attackers were also killed during the conflict.

Leyen emphasized that it is important for Serbia to support the statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo and for Kosovo to implement it.

“In addition, Serbia should start implementing the existing agreements and not waste time on this,” said Leyen.

Asked how Serbia can be asked to de facto recognize Kosovo, if five member states of the European Union (EU) do not recognize Kosovo’s independence, Leyen said that it is about the implementation of the Ohrid Agreement, which was reached in March in Ohrid between the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, with the mediation of the EU.

During the visit to Prishtina on Monday, Leyen underlined that Kosovo should establish the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, while Serbia should de facto recognize Kosovo.

She explained in Belgrade that the Ohrid Agreement foresees various steps that include, for example, the recognition of Kosovo’s documents by Serbia.

Leyen said that this, on the other hand, also goes with the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority, which Kosovo must implement.

“This will pave the way for the normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo. It is a necessary precondition for the European path,” she said.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, has said that for Serbia recognition of Kosovo is not in question.

“And I have said this endlessly and it is not difficult for me and I am not ashamed, I am proud to say it in front of the president of the EC”, said Vucic.

He added that “we know what our obligations are from the dialogue and we are ready to fulfill them”.

He emphasized that Serbia is clear about what it cannot do against the Constitution.

“Serbia’s position does not change”, said Vučić.

Responding to journalists’ questions, Vučić said that the statute of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities is a good basis for talks, but that he cannot talk about the details of the draft he received.

He said that at the moment the two main obstacles on Serbia’s path to the EU are the sanctions against Russia and the relationship with Prishtina.

Serbia did not join the EU’s foreign policy in imposing sanctions on Russia for its aggression against Ukraine.

After the meeting with the president of the EC, Vučić wrote on the Instagram social network that a whole day of talks awaits him.

“In which I will express all kinds of gratitude to the EU for the help and support it has given us, with the hope that Serbia will have the strength to fulfill its membership obligations and become part of the family of European nations”, said Vučić.

As part of her tour in the Balkans, Leyen also visited Montenegro, North Macedonia and Kosovo, while after Belgrade she will go to Sarajevo.

/k.s/