Brussels, 10/02/2015 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 10 February, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced the finalisation of the agreement on justice and the judicial system between Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Kosovo's Prime Minister Isa Mustafa during the resumption of the dialogue for the normalisation of relations - following a 10-month break due to the parliamentary elections and formation of the governments in both countries. “The two prime ministers finalised the agreement on justice and judiciary in Kosovo, thereby closing a critical chapter of the implementation of the Brussels agreement that will substantially improve lives of people on the ground”, Mogherini stated in a press release. She commended Mustafa and Vucic “for this achievement”.
In Mustafa's view, as quoted by Balkans media, this agreement is important for Kosovo because it ensures the operation of a single judicial system in Kosovo. “This will enable the institutions of Kosovo and those responsible for the rule of law to manage rule of law issues in northern Kosovo”, Kosovo's European Affairs Minister Bekim Collaku told the EPC. He stated that this would enable parallel Serbian structures to be integrated into Kosovo's judicial system. In the view of Kosovo's Foreign Affairs Minister Hashim Thaci, northern Kosovo will now be under the jurisdiction of the Kosovo law courts and subject to the Kosovan law and constitution.
The agreement must now be the subject of an action plan. The European Eulex mission will also be able to be more active in northern Kosovo.
During the last dialogue meeting between the former prime ministers (who are now their countries foreign ministers - Hashim Thaci from Kosovo and Ivica Dacic from Serbia) on 31 March, the former high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy Catherine Ashton had announced that they had “nearly completed their discussions on justice” and that if the necessary adjustments should be made, the package should be finalised at the next dialogue meeting (see EUROPE 11051).
At the dialogue on 9 February, Vucic and Mustafa also discussed “in depth” the complete range of issues in the dialogue and assessed the work still to be done. Working groups will meet in the “coming days” to progress the work on implementation, Mogherini said.
The prime ministers also exchanged views on the path to follow and confirmed their commitment to continuing progress in the normalisation of relations, Mogherini stated, adding that Vucic and Mustafa had agreed to work together to assess current regional concerns such as “the acute problem of illegal migration from Kosovo”. Many Kosovans reportedly try to reach the EU via Serbia.
No date seems to have been decided upon for the next dialogue meeting.
Mogherini expressed her support for the two prime ministers for further progress in their respective EU paths. Serbia could soon open its first accession negotiation chapters and Kosovo could soon sign its stabilisation and association agreement with the EU. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)