Ohrid Agreement: EU Warns Kosovo and Serbia of Euro Integration Risks

The European Union’s diplomatic head, Josep Borrell, made these remarks on the eve of the first anniversary of the agreement, as reported by “Європейська правда” referencing the statement published on March 17th.

The Ohrid Agreement, concluded in Ohrid, was meant to pave the way for the normalisation of relations between the two countries.

It was the first time during the EU-facilitated dialogue that clear parameters defining the trajectory of the normalization process were agreed upon by both sides.

The agreement and its implementation were expected to demonstrate that the future of both partners lies within the European Union, according to Borrell’s statement.

However, tensions between Pristina and Belgrade have repeatedly escalated since then.

“It is regrettable that, despite the numerous efforts of the EU and the international community, both Kosovo and Serbia have so far achieved very limited progress in fulfilling the obligations they undertook under the agreement,” Borrell stated.

The EU has consistently reminded both parties that the agreement must be fully implemented in accordance with international law.

Thus, any failure to do so not only jeopardises the European integration of the parties but also damages their reputation as trustworthy and reliable partners, emphasized Borrell.

“For Kosovo and Serbia, the time has come to break the current vicious cycle of crises and tensions and move towards a new – European – era… We expect leaders of Kosovo and Serbia to demonstrate responsibility, vision, and leadership by making progress in implementation without further delay,” the EU’s top diplomat emphasised.

Recently, the EU had to initiate a new round of negotiations between representatives of Serbia and Kosovo to try to resolve the dispute regarding the ban on the circulation of the Serbian dinar in northern Kosovo municipalities.

Main Image: Signing of the Ohrid Agreement, via Wikipedia.