"Dialogue has to be continued, results implemented"

"Dialogue has to be continued, results implemented"

"It will be up to a new Serbian government to set its priorities, but when it comes to the EU path, it is clear that all relevant political actors in Serbia must remain committed to further EU integration," Kurz said.

He noted that he was "happy to see that there has never been a broader consensus about Serbia's EU future, and underscores that the commitment of Serbian political actors to the EU integration process is in the interest of the Serbian people."

Kurz voices confidence that this year the EU can continue to work on priority chapters with Serbia, and close some more chapters with Montenegro.

He also believes that the implementation of the results of the Belgrade-Priština dialogue will be continued, and hopes that Macedonia and Greece will resolve the name dispute, so that Macedonia's path could also be opened.

"I wished to visit Serbia and all other countries of the Western Balkans as soon as possible after I took office as foreign minister in December and thus show clearly what my priorities are," Kurz said.

Austria is sure that the EU integration project is incomplete without the countries of the Western Balkans, and hence loyally supports the region's EU perspective, Kurz stressed.

"With my visit, I wanted to reaffirm this message," said the Austrian foreign minister, who will visit Belgrade, then proceed to Priština on Thursday, the first time since taking office.

Kurz noted that the agreement on the normalization of relations with Priština was "the central achievement of the outgoing Serbian government, which paved the way for opening Serbia's accession talks and voiced confidence that the dialogue will be continued after the elections, regardless of whether a new Serbian government will comprise the same or some new actors."

Asked whether Serbia could join the EU in 2020, the Austrian minister says that depends on many factors, and in Serbia's case, that includes a mayor challenge of normalization of relations with Kosovo.

The Austrian foreign minister is of the opinion that relations between Serbia and Austria "have never been better."

"It is rather symptomatic that exactly 100 years since the worst chapter in our bilateral relations, the outbreak of World War I, Austria is one of the states that enabled the start of Serbia's EU entry talks in January," Kurz said.