“Serbia cannot join EU without recognizing Kosovo”

Serbia can't join the EU unless it recognizes Kosovo and achieves cooperation with authorities in Pristina, says the European Parliament rapporteur for Kosovo. “My main goal is integration into the EU of all citizens of the Western Balkans, whether they are Serbs, Albanians or any other ethnicity,” Ulrike Lunacek told daily Danas. told daily Danas. “Serbia cannot join EU without recognizing Kosovo” “In order to achieve the goal, endless questioning of (Kosovo's) independence is not helpful by any means. I don’t see that the wish of the Serbian government to reintegrate Kosovo is realistic,” Lunacek was further quoted as saying. “I think that it’s necessary and helpful for a powerful common foreign policy of the EU that all member states have the same position. Therefore I think that we should find a common position about Kosovo too. Kosovo’s independence is today de facto reality and that’s why, in my opinion, there’s no sense of turning back and discuss the reality over and over again. Instead we should look forward,” the EP special rapporteur stated. Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in February 2008 unilaterally proclaimed secession, which Belgrade rejected. Five EU member states have not recognized the declaration, while the territory has not been able to join the UN. Now the Austrian MEP told the newspaper that she was making the statements as someone who was “not too happy with the way the independence occurred in 2007-2008”. “It would have been better if a new UN resolution had been passed, but that wasn’t possible then. Now I think that we should not look back but that we should work for a better future. That’s the most important.” When asked whether it would be possible for Serbia to join the EU without recognizing Kosovo, the EP rapporteur replied that “from my point of view – no, not by any means!” “The EU should learn something from the stalemate position in Cyprus. There’s no point of ‘integrating’ unresolved conflicts into the union.” “I personally have a very clear position on that. Without the good will to have good cooperation with Kosovo, Serbia cannot be a member of the EU because cross-border cooperation is one of the arteries of the European idea. I'm reminding you that Serbia still isn’t even a candidate for membership. But let me be completely clear, I would personally like Serbia, as well as Kosovo, as well as all other European countries, to become part of the EU as soon as possible,” said Lunacek, the daily reported. “Because of that I support all these countries to meet the criteria necessary for membership. I deeply believe that common future in the united Europe will bring better future to the Western Balkans too,” she concluded.

“Serbia cannot join EU without recognizing Kosovo”

“In order to achieve the goal, endless questioning of (Kosovo's) independence is not helpful by any means. I don’t see that the wish of the Serbian government to reintegrate Kosovo is realistic,” Lunacek was further quoted as saying.

“I think that it’s necessary and helpful for a powerful common foreign policy of the EU that all member states have the same position. Therefore I think that we should find a common position about Kosovo too. Kosovo’s independence is today de facto reality and that’s why, in my opinion, there’s no sense of turning back and discuss the reality over and over again. Instead we should look forward,” the EP special rapporteur stated.

Kosovo's ethnic Albanians in February 2008 unilaterally proclaimed secession, which Belgrade rejected. Five EU member states have not recognized the declaration, while the territory has not been able to join the UN.

Now the Austrian MEP told the newspaper that she was making the statements as someone who was “not too happy with the way the independence occurred in 2007-2008”.

“It would have been better if a new UN resolution had been passed, but that wasn’t possible then. Now I think that we should not look back but that we should work for a better future. That’s the most important.”

When asked whether it would be possible for Serbia to join the EU without recognizing Kosovo, the EP rapporteur replied that “from my point of view – no, not by any means!”

“The EU should learn something from the stalemate position in Cyprus. There’s no point of ‘integrating’ unresolved conflicts into the union.”

“I personally have a very clear position on that. Without the good will to have good cooperation with Kosovo, Serbia cannot be a member of the EU because cross-border cooperation is one of the arteries of the European idea. I'm reminding you that Serbia still isn’t even a candidate for membership. But let me be completely clear, I would personally like Serbia, as well as Kosovo, as well as all other European countries, to become part of the EU as soon as possible,” said Lunacek, the daily reported.

“Because of that I support all these countries to meet the criteria necessary for membership. I deeply believe that common future in the united Europe will bring better future to the Western Balkans too,” she concluded.