Lajčák and Escobar: Everything agreed has to be implemented VIDEO

Lajčák and Escobar: Everything agreed has to be implemented VIDEO

Working Group of the National Convention on the European Union for Chapter 35 organized a meeting today with Miroslav Lajčák, the EU Representative for the negotiations between Belgrade and Pristina.

We welcome Serbia's commitment to dialogue, and we conveyed, both in Belgrade and Pristina, that everything agreed in the past must be implemented, and that applies to both sides, said Miroslav Lajčák today, after talks in Belgrade.

The EU special envoy for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, who pointed out that this was his first visit to Belgrade this year, and the seventh since he took office, expressed confidence that the joint visit with the US representative conveyed an important message of unity and that it is an indicator of Washington's support for EU-mediated dialogue.

"The United States and the EU have a long history when it comes to the Balkans and achieving tangible results. We welcome Serbia's commitment to dialogue, and this was repeated to us by all interlocutors, from President Aleksandar Vučić, through Prime Minister Ana Brnabić, to Parliament Speaker Ivica Dačić," Lajčák said.

He said that they want to see rapid progress in the normalization of relations, and thus in terms of the implementation of previous agreements. "We said that everything that was agreed in the past must be implemented, as well as everything that will be agreed, and that applies to both sides. "We would like to see rapid progress in further reaching a legally binding agreement," Lajčák emphasized.

Lajčák pointed out that the dialogue is related to the European integration of Serbia and Kosovo, concrete prospects for EU integration. He conveyed that he had good talks with representatives of the business community and civil society, and that he was grateful for their suggestions, ideas and presentation of the problem.

"Civil society has an important role, especially in the normalization of relations, creating an environment for reconciliation and building bridges between communities. We see the importance and benefits of economic relations, increasing trade. We see the potential for economic growth, job creation. "Economic cooperation is one of the most successful stories in the dialogue," he underlined.

U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar, in is first visit to Belgrade in that capacity, said that he considered his arrival here with Miroslav Lajčák important, which, he added, reflects the solidarity and unity of the European Union and the US, convinced that the Balkans should be part of the European community.

"We believe that the path is for Kosovo and Serbia to be on the path to the European Union, with a dialogue mediated by the EU," Escobar said. He added that the United States is not part of the dialogue, but that it will assist in everything that is needed, financially and politically.

"We hope that the results of the dialogue talks will open up the huge potential that this region has for economic development and greater integration into the EU," Escobar said.

The meeting presented the common positions of the members of the Working Group for Chapter 35 on the principles for resolving the Kosovo issue, which imply that the priorities in the dialogue be preserving peace and security in the region, and proposing a comprehensive solution to normalize relations, and for the solution to be realistic and sustainable.

In the conversation with Ambassador Lajčák, opinions and views were exchanged on the current challenges in which the dialogue on the normalization of relations was found, and the members of the Working Group used the opportunity to present their recommendations in order to improve the process in the future.

Conclusions and recommendations of studies and analyzes conducted within the work of the members of the Working Group for Chapter 35, which cover various topics of importance for the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, were presented.

"It is no longer a question of whether there will be a meeting, but only when it will take place"

Lajčák said today that he is much more optimistic that a summit will be held within the dialogue on the normalization of relations. Asked when the dialogue can be expected to continue, Lajčák said that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and Prime Minister Albin Kurti had said several times in private meetings and in public that they were willing to come to Brussels when invited. Both, he says, are committed to the process and know it is important, as are the expectations of citizens.

"After two meetings in June and July, we said that we want the next meeting to bring concrete results. So far, we have been working on the preparation of that meeting for several months. You have not seen much dialogue, but there has been a lot of process and progress", Lajčák said.

He pointed out that Belgrade and Pristina confirmed that they clearly know what the outcome will be, and that there is no doubt about that.

"This is an EU-mediated dialogue, led by Serbia and Kosovo. We are here to ensure that everything is based on European norms, to help speed up the process of European integration. I can't force them to participate in the dialogue if they don't want to. We are not imposing anything, we are not setting an agenda", he added.

Enabling voting is European standard and practice

EU envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajčák, and U.S. Special Envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar pointed out today that all citizens in the region should have the opportunity to vote in elections in which they have the right to vote, and that there is a European practice.

"This is an issue that we discussed together, that people should have the right to participate in democratic processes. There are standards and established European practices that allow people to vote even though they live elsewhere. A consensus should be reached on the modalities, and that is on two sides," he said, answering the question whether Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija will have the opportunity to participate in the upcoming elections in Serbia.

Escobar emphasized that the position of the USA and the EU is that all citizens in the region should have the opportunity to vote in elections in which they have the right to vote.