Serbia, Kosovo must recognize each other, EP rapporteur says
Kosovo Serbs north and south of the Ibar River should not be afraid of the forthcoming end of Kosovo's supervised independence, says Ulrike Lunacek.
(KosovoCompromisStuff) Saturday, September 08, 2012
The European Parliament (EP) rapporteur for Kosovo added on Friday that Serbia was expected to somehow recognize the state of Kosovo.
She told a press conference at the EP building that the closing of the International Civilian Office in Priština, announced for Monday, September 10, represented the end of the supervised independence of Kosovo and the beginning of the full one, which she said was a great success.
"Serbs in Kosovo should not be afraid, neither those in the north nor those in the south," Lunacek said, voicing belief that Kosovo authorities were able to fully protect the rights of national minorities and their cultural heritage.
She backed recent statement of EP President Martin Schulz that Serbia should recognize Kosovo before becoming an EU member.
"It is clear that, at the end of Serbia's EU talks, which have not started yet, mutual recognition between Serbia and Kosovo should be realized in some way," Lunacek said and added that this was the position of the majority in the European Parliament.
Lunacek advocated a prompt continuation of dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina and implementation of reached agreements, especially the one on the integrated border management.
