A renewed escalation at the border between Serbia and Kosovo, such as at the end of July, has now been averted. Because the two Balkan states have settled their dispute over mutual access rules.
“We have a deal,” EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell announced on Twitter on Saturday. As part of the EU-led dialogue, Serbia has agreed to abolish entry and exit documents for Kosovar identity card holders, in return Kosovo has agreed to do the same for people with Serbian documents.
“Free travel between Kosovo and Serbia”
“Kosovo Serbs, like all other citizens, will be able to travel freely between Kosovo and Serbia with their identity cards. The EU has just received corresponding assurances from Prime Minister Kurti,” Borrell wrote. He praised the “European solution” and congratulated Albanian Prime Minister Kurti and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on reaching an agreement.
The new deadline for the tightened measures in Kosovo, which had actually been planned since August 1, was September 1. After tensions escalated in northern Kosovo, the leadership in Pristina postponed the introduction by a month under pressure from the EU and the US. Kosovo wanted to enforce rules that also apply to Kosovars entering Serbia. The background to the conflict is the 2008 declaration of independence of the former Serbian province of Kosovo, which Serbia does not recognize.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
