Brussels, 26/08/2015 (Agence Europe) - During the evening of Tuesday 25 August, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced an agreement between the Serbian and Kosovan prime ministers, Aleksandar Vucic and Isa Mustafa, on the association of Serb majority municipalities (ZSO). Agreements were also found on telecoms, energy and free movement on Mitrovica Bridge.
“The prime ministers of Serbia and Kosovo marked a turning point in taking forward the dialogue agenda” between Serbia and Kosovo, Mogherini said in a press release. The agreements come ahead of the Balkans summit in Vienna, which is being held on 27-28 August.
Mogherini stated that the prime ministers had agreed on the general principles and main elements of the ZSO, which pave the way for its establishment. The ZSO will have its own president, vice-president, assembly, council, administration, emblems and flag. It will be involved, among other areas, in issues of health, education, urban and rural planning; economic development and local democracy development. It can be financed by Serbia. “It will not have an executive function”, said Mustafa, as quoted by media in the Balkans.
Vucic and Mustafa also agreed on the future application of the energy agreement, “without agreement on the system of use, distribution and ownership”, according to Vucic.
In addition, Serbia and Kosovo found an agreement on telecoms. At Pristina's request, Austria will ask for the code +383 to be given to Kosovo.
Vucic and Mustafa also discussed the arrangement on Mitrovica Bridge, which will “define the use of the bridge in a mutually acceptable way”, according to Mogherini.
“The EU will actively support the full implementation” of these agreements, Mogherini stated, adding that work would continue on “further steps of the dialogue in the coming months”.
Mogherini said that the outcome of the meeting, which lasted nearly ten hours, represents “landmark achievements in the normalisation process”, and that solutions such as those found would enable the two sides to advance on their European path. In Vucic's opinion, there is now no longer any obstacle to Serbia opening the first chapter of negotiations for its EU accession. (Camille-Cerise Gessant)