Borrell: All attention directed to Ohrid

Borrell: All attention directed to Ohrid

In Skopje, after a meeting with Macedonian President Stevo Pendarovski, he thanked North Macedonia for its support in the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina and expressed the hope that "the beautiful landscape of Ohrid will create the beautiful atmosphere needed to reach an agreement".

Three weeks ago in Brussels, Vučić and Kurti agreed on a European proposal with great support from France, Germany, Italy and the USA.

Borrell pointed out that at the meeting in Ohrid, practical steps should be found that should be followed in a specific time frame, what to do, when and how.

"Because we have a long history of agreements that have never been implemented. The difference is that this agreement must be applicable. We need to agree when and how to implement it," he emphasized.

Since the last meeting in Brussels, says Borrell, high-level traveling diplomacy has been underway and special representative Miroslav Lajčak traveled to Belgrade and Pristina.

Both sides gave their comments on the implementation annex.

"We will discuss this tomorrow and create a consolidated version of the annex. And I hope that Kosovo and Serbia will be ready to agree on the final version of these talks. This implementation annex should become an integral part of the agreement in order to make it clear how we intend to apply the provisions," Borrell points out.

According to him, if it succeeds, then the relations between Belgrade and Pristina will become sustainable, long-term and oriented towards the future, which should overcome the permanent crisis we have been in for the last few months.

"This will have a clear positive outcome on the European path of Kosovo and Serbia and will improve the stability of the region. I hope that we will create a new dynamic of expansion that should be beneficial for everyone in the region," he says.

Borrell ended his speech by saying that he is going to Ohrid "with the hope that there will be progress", that this is "an opportunity that must not be missed" and that "today the eyes of the EU and the Western Balkans are turned towards Ohrid".

Borrell added that he will report to the EU foreign ministers on Monday about the talks in Ohrid, and the European leaders will be informed on Thursday and Friday next week.

President of North Macedonia stated that a large part of the meeting between him and Borrell was devoted to tomorrow's meeting between Belgrade and Pristina, a particularly important regional issue that has been on the agenda of the Western Balkans for many years and the solution of which can only help to bring the entire region closer to the EU.

"It is particularly significant for us that this important session is held in Ohrid because it is a sign that North Macedonia has made difficult compromises and has shown atypical Balkan behavior and is functioning as a true multi-ethnic democracy, which is rare even in a wider framework," he said.