The spokesperson of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Peter Stano, while commenting on the upcoming meeting between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic and the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, stated that they are committed to progress with all issues in the dialogue, because without progress in the dialogue there will be no progress on the EU membership path of both countries.

Stano made these comments during a media conference, where he was also asked about the issue of reciprocity with license plates between Kosovo and Serbia, which has been discussed for some time in Brussels but has not been resolved.

“It is not up to the EU to impose solutions on partners, especially partners who state very clearly that their strategic objective is membership in the European Union. So the process of accession to the EU, the road to the EU, is actually the leverage that the EU does have. And we, of course, are using it because the issues you mentioned are being addressed between the parties with the help and facilitation of the European Union. Many issues that are causing irritation in the relations between Belgrade and Pristina are addressed in the EU-facilitated dialogue. But this is exactly what is called a facilitated dialogue, it is not a forced dialogue, so we can facilitate as long as there is a will on both sides to find a compromise solution. We help them find the compromise solution, but it is up to them to be ready for the necessary compromises,” he said.

According to him, Thursday’s meeting between Vucic and Kurti will serve the dialogue.

“We will try to do this in every future meeting. Including the high-level meeting next Thursday, in Brussels between President Vucic and Prime Minister Kurti, to advance all issues in the dialogue, because without progress in the dialogue, there will not be progress on the EU membership path of both parties. So this is very important for their European future, it is important to progress in the dialogue facilitated by the EU. Because without this there will be no progress and their strategic objective will not be met. It won’t be possible. If there is no progress, you cannot progress in the overall process. The EU is doing what it can but again, we cannot impose, because this is not what we do, we can help the parties to behave in a European way, which means to find the compromise, because finding the compromise, that’s how the European Union works, and that’s what we’re trying to help them achieve,” Stanto declared.

/Klara Ruci/