"EU can't ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo"

The European Union cannot request Serbia to recognize Kosovo, says an Austrian MEP. This is because the unilateral declaration of independence of Serbia's southern province had not been recognized by some EU member-states, European parliament member and Vice-President of the Socialist group in the EP Hannes Svoboda has stated. "EU can't ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo" “We should promote Serbia's accession in the EU, but, at the same time, we should include Kosovo in European integrations. We may not ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo, which has not been recognized by some EU member states either. The majority of the EU states have done it, but not all of them. We have to find a way, but we may not pressure Serbia now for Kosovo,” Svoboda said in a statement published by Belgrade's Politika daily. In his last week's address to the EO members in Strasbourg, Svoboda also said that “no one knows the formula for Serbia's accession in the EU without recognizing the independence of Kosovo” and “it will be a difficult diplomatic formula, which Serbia has to find.” He also clarified that the EU does not want to import problems but to export stability instead.

"EU can't ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo"

“We should promote Serbia's accession in the EU, but, at the same time, we should include Kosovo in European integrations. We may not ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo, which has not been recognized by some EU member states either. The majority of the EU states have done it, but not all of them. We have to find a way, but we may not pressure Serbia now for Kosovo,” Svoboda said in a statement published by Belgrade's Politika daily.

In his last week's address to the EO members in Strasbourg, Svoboda also said that “no one knows the formula for Serbia's accession in the EU without recognizing the independence of Kosovo” and “it will be a difficult diplomatic formula, which Serbia has to find.”

He also clarified that the EU does not want to import problems but to export stability instead.