The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, and the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stressed, on Thursday 25 June during their meeting in Brussels with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, the importance of continuing reforms and resuming the EU-facilitated Dialogue with Serbia.
This was Mr Hoti's first visit abroad since his election (see EUROPE 12498/24).
According to a statement by the EU Council and Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero, Mr Hoti discussed with the two Presidents the reforms under way in his country and the focus was on the implementation of the necessary reforms, in particular as regards the Rule of law and the fight against corruption. Mrs von der Leyen also recalled the EU's support for Kosovo in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
For his part, Mr Michel stressed “the urgency of advancing the Dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina”, recalling the importance the Union attaches to this dialogue, which should resume in July (see EUROPE 12512/30). For Mr Hoti, “it is only through dialogue that we can resolve our differences with Serbia, leading to mutual recognition and normalisation of relations”.
Referring to the 24 June indictment by the prosecutors of Kosovo’s Special Court of Kosovo's President Hashim Thaçi for war crimes and crimes against humanity, Mr Hoti explained that his government was not commenting on issues relating to the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and that it would fully respect its international obligations.
Mr Michel said that the EU also was not commenting on the procedures of the prosecutor’s office of the Specialist Chambers, but that it was important that they could continue to do their work independently, without any external interference. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)