"Kosovo is tarnishing European Union's reputation"

"Kosovo is tarnishing European Union's reputation"

"The situation in the Balkans cause for concern. We see that NATO and the European Union are stepping up efforts to increase their presence in the region. They are putting the countries in the region before a false choice: whether they want to be with Moscow, or with Washington and Brussels," Lavrov has told the Geek newspaper Efimerida ton Sintakton.

The inability of the European Union to make the self-proclaimed Kosovo to fulfill its obligations is putting a question mark over its entire reputation, Lavrov is quoted as saying.

According to the Russian official, such activities "deepen the destabilization of the European security structure, lead to increasing tensions and new lines of division".

Sputnik is reporting that Lavrov told this to the Greek newspaper.

"Kosovo remains the epicenter of instability (in the Balkans). Pristina is not only openly sabotaging the implementation of the (Brussels) agreement with Belgrade reached with EU's mediation, but is also undertaking provocative measures," Lavrov said.

The Russian minister also pointed out that nothing has been happening for more than five years when it comes to the creation of the Community of Serb Municipalities (ZSO) - and instead Pristina is introducing (100 percent) taxes on products from central Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, and also intends to create an army that will be directed against the Serbs living in the north of Kosovo.

"These measures (taxes) are directed precisely at creating impossible conditions for the survival of Kosovo Serbs," Lavrov said.

The minister added that the Serbian leadership is carrying out a very responsible policy, because they promised not to introduce reciprocal measures.