Brussels, 11/07/2013 (Agence Europe) - In Pristina after a visit to Belgrade, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton underlined again, on 10 July, that the 19 April agreement must be translated into concrete action. “My interest is to make sure that what is agreed is implemented”, she said, mentioning the amnesty law that the Kosovan parliament should adopt, after not managing to have a draft law passed that would have granted amnesty to Serbs for their actions as part of the Serbian call to resistance in the north of Kosovo 14 years ago. “I hope that the implementation when it comes, for example, to the amnesty law will be a demonstration of the commitment not just of the government but of the parliament to the work that we are doing”, Ashton said.
Kosovo's Prime Minister Hashim Thaçi stated that this legislation is “an important and necessary political act”. “The law on amnesty is a political act which leads to the reconciliation of the people”, he said.
“We try to be realistic about what needs to happen so that there is a real sense of achievement and momentum, but (…) actually there is a strong will and good progress”, Ashton said, adding that “there is more to do”. Believing that the European Council's decision to open the negotiation for a stabilisation and association agreement was “well deserved”, and that it is a very important step on Kosovo's European path, Ashton is pleased that work has begun on the Kosovan side and that it will continue throughout the summer.
Elsewhere, the Council decided that Samuel Zbogar will remain the EU special representative in Kosovo until 30 June 2014. (CG/transl.fl)