EC official denies Serbia "must open office in Priština"

It is not true that "someone in Brussels" asked Serbia to allow for a "Kosovo office" to be set up in Belgrade in order to move forward with EU integration. This is according to a Tanjug news agency report, which quoted "an official of the European Commission". EC official denies Serbia "must open office in Pristina" This reaction came in the wake of a report published by the Belgrade-based Novi Magazin, which said the European Union had put "nearly impossible" requirements before Serbia in order to continue with its EU integration. These conditions include the opening of a "Kosovo office" in Belgrade. To open the office would practically mean to open an embassy that would simply be named differently, but the Serbian authorities find that unacceptable, the article further said. At the same time, Serbia is required to open its office in Pristina - "so the two offices would practically symbolize the establishment of diplomatic relations". Besides these requirements, there are also the old ones, such as implementing the agreements reached in the talks between Belgrade and Pristina, closing down what is referred to as "parallel institutions" in northern Kosovo, and "allowing KFOR and EULEX freedom of movement in northern Kosovo", Novi Magazin reported. Another conditions is to open an EU mission office in northern Kosovo, according to the article. A source from the European Commission told Tanjug "the chief requirement was normalization of relations with Kosovo", and that this meant "dialogue, implementation of the agreements reached so far and freedom of movement for KFOR and EULEX, but not the opening of a Kosovo office in Belgrade and a Serbian office in Kosovo". The source also said that some countries, like Germany, "had set additional criteria regarding parallel institutions in Kosovo". By parallel institutions, they mean "security agencies" supposedly present in northern Kosovo, "and not those related to education and health-care", said the Tanjug report. "Neither Germany nor any other country is insisting on establishing diplomatic relations between Serbia and Kosovo," the source noted. Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence more than four years ago - a move Serbia considers an illegal act of secession. Additionally, Serbs who are a majority north of the Ibar River reject the UDI, and the authority of the government in Pristina. Tanjug Novi magazin

EC official denies Serbia "must open office in Priština"

This reaction came in the wake of a report published by the Belgrade-based Novi Magazin, which said the European Union had put "nearly impossible" requirements before Serbia in order to continue with its EU integration.

These conditions include the opening of a "Kosovo office" in Belgrade.

To open the office would practically mean to open an embassy that would simply be named differently, but the Serbian authorities find that unacceptable, the article further said.

At the same time, Serbia is required to open its office in Priština - "so the two offices would practically symbolize the establishment of diplomatic relations".

Besides these requirements, there are also the old ones, such as implementing the agreements reached in the talks between Belgrade and Priština, closing down what is referred to as "parallel institutions" in northern Kosovo, and "allowing KFOR and EULEX freedom of movement in northern Kosovo", Novi Magazin reported.

Another conditions is to open an EU mission office in northern Kosovo, according to the article.

A source from the European Commission told Tanjug "the chief requirement was normalization of relations with Kosovo", and that this meant "dialogue, implementation of the agreements reached so far and freedom of movement for KFOR and EULEX, but not the opening of a Kosovo office in Belgrade and a Serbian office in Kosovo".

The source also said that some countries, like Germany, "had set additional criteria regarding parallel institutions in Kosovo".

By parallel institutions, they mean "security agencies" supposedly present in northern Kosovo, "and not those related to education and health-care", said the Tanjug report.

"Neither Germany nor any other country is insisting on establishing diplomatic relations between Serbia and Kosovo," the source noted.

Ethnic Albanians in Kosovo unilaterally declared independence more than four years ago - a move Serbia considers an illegal act of secession. Additionally, Serbs who are a majority north of the Ibar River reject the UDI, and the authority of the government in Priština.