Keepin touch

Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion or any problem falling within the competence of the Government, send us your message and we will try to respond as soon as possible. If your problem does not fall within our competence, we will forward your message to the competent institution.

The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

EU should remain status neutral about "Kosovo"

Belgrade, 24 February 2021

Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikola Selakovic stated today that the Draft Report of the European Parliament, adopted before its Foreign Policy Committee, in an inadmissible and inappropriate way calls on EU states that have not recognised the unilaterally declared independence of our southern province to change their minds.

Selakovic stated that the European Union, although the majority of its members recognise the self-proclaimed "Kosovo", as an umbrella political entity, has been trying for years to at least formally maintain the position of status neutrality.

According to him, the appeal of the European Parliament's rapporteur, Viola von Cramon-Taubadel, addressed to a group of five countries to recognise the self-proclaimed "Kosovo", is a flagrant deviation from the previous political practice of Brussels.

He reminded that the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, with the mediation of the EU, takes place with respect for the principle of status neutrality, and that this is a precondition for reaching any lasting and sustainable solutions.

The Minister assessed that, to put it mildly, it is undiplomatic, and useless for the negotiation process between Belgrade and Pristina, that the Foreign Policy Committee of the European Parliament allowed personal lobbying initiative of Viola von Cramon-Taubadel to turn into something that should be an official document of the EU institution.

I expect that the EU institutions, by remaining in the position of status neutrality, will give a chance to the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, and not be part of the problem, but part of the solution when it comes to stabilising the situation in the Western Balkans, Selakovic concluded.