EP rejects Greek amendment on Kosovo

At a joint meeting of the European Parliament and Kosovo assembly in Brussels, amendments not recognizing Kosovo independence have been thrown out of a declaration. The amendment was proposed by Greek MEP Ani Podimata with the aim of contesting parts of the joint declaration suggesting that Kosovo was an independent state. EP rejects Greek amendment on Kosovo None of the amendments were adopted, however, and the flag of an independent Kosovo continued to fly on the second day of the inter-parliamentary meeting, despite protests from Belgrade yesterday. “We are satisfied with the outcome of the first meeting, which was held at a very sensitive moment for the Western Balkan region following the declaration of Kosovo independence,” reads the final version of document. “We welcome the new Kosovo constitution, which is in accordance with the high standards demanded by the All-Encompassing Agreement for Resolving Kosovo’s status, and we stress that it should be implemented zealously,” the document states. The EP delegation and Kosovo assembly add that “the UN and EU mission cannot have the same powers at the same time,” and called on “the UN secretary general to ease the transition and recognize EULEX as part of the international presence in Kosovo.” “We support the initiative and words of the Slovenian EU presidency, and the intentions of the future French presidency, which have the goal of strengthening Kosovo’s European prospects, prospects which it shares with all the countries of the Western Balkan region,” the document concludes. Yesterday, the Serbian Foreign Ministry sent a fierce protest to the European Parliament (EP), following the display of the flag of "an independent Kosovo." "This is an absolutely inadmissible display. Kosovo is not an independent state, the EU has not recognized Kosovo, but a certain number of countries unfortunately have," Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic told the Serbian national broadcaster RTS. Jeremic added that ministry representatives were in constant communication with MEPs from Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Romania, who have also submitted their protests. Those MEPs have not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo. "In keeping with EP procedure, we have filed a fierce diplomatic protest and I believe that we can expect that such acts will not happen again," the foreign minister underlined. The Kosovo assembly deputies, with the flag of "an independent Kosovo" on display, told the EP that once the constitution of "an independent Kosovo" became law on June 16, “the system envisaged by that document will be implemented on its territory." Vuk Jeremic (Tanjug, archive)

EP rejects Greek amendment on Kosovo

None of the amendments were adopted, however, and the flag of an independent Kosovo continued to fly on the second day of the inter-parliamentary meeting, despite protests from Belgrade yesterday.

“We are satisfied with the outcome of the first meeting, which was held at a very sensitive moment for the Western Balkan region following the declaration of Kosovo independence,” reads the final version of document.

“We welcome the new Kosovo constitution, which is in accordance with the high standards demanded by the All-Encompassing Agreement for Resolving Kosovo’s status, and we stress that it should be implemented zealously,” the document states.

The EP delegation and Kosovo assembly add that “the UN and EU mission cannot have the same powers at the same time,” and called on “the UN secretary general to ease the transition and recognize EULEX as part of the international presence in Kosovo.”

“We support the initiative and words of the Slovenian EU presidency, and the intentions of the future French presidency, which have the goal of strengthening Kosovo’s European prospects, prospects which it shares with all the countries of the Western Balkan region,” the document concludes.

Yesterday, the Serbian Foreign Ministry sent a fierce protest to the European Parliament (EP), following the display of the flag of "an independent Kosovo."

"This is an absolutely inadmissible display. Kosovo is not an independent state, the EU has not recognized Kosovo, but a certain number of countries unfortunately have," Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić told the Serbian national broadcaster RTS.

Jeremić added that ministry representatives were in constant communication with MEPs from Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Slovakia, and Romania, who have also submitted their protests.

Those MEPs have not recognized the unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo.

"In keeping with EP procedure, we have filed a fierce diplomatic protest and I believe that we can expect that such acts will not happen again," the foreign minister underlined.

The Kosovo assembly deputies, with the flag of "an independent Kosovo" on display, told the EP that once the constitution of "an independent Kosovo" became law on June 16, “the system envisaged by that document will be implemented on its territory."