MEPs on Thursday 25 March called on Kosovo and Serbia to make progress in the dialogue on the normalisation of their relations as a “precondition for the EU accession of both countries”.
Thus, both in the report by Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (Greens/EFA, Germany), reacting to the European Commission’s 2019-2020 report on Kosovo, and in the report by Vladimír Bilčík (EPP, Slovakia), reacting to the Commission’s report on Serbia, the European Parliament calls for “engagement of both sides in the EU-facilitated dialogue [which seeks] a comprehensive, sustainable and legally binding agreement, in accordance with international law”.
The European Parliament therefore urges Belgrade and Pristina to refrain from any action that could undermine confidence between the parties and jeopardise the continuation of the bilateral dialogue and calls on Kosovo to address the current internal problems in its approach to the dialogue.
On the other hand, both parties are invited to fully implement, “in good faith and in a timely manner, all agreements already reached”. MEPs believe that the European External Action Service should set up a mechanism to monitor and supervise the implementation of these agreements.
Kosovo. Beyond dialogue, the report on Kosovo, adopted by 471 votes in favour, 109 against and 104 abstentions, calls on all political forces in the country to reform the political system in order to improve legal security and the process of forming a new government.
MEPs also call for intensified implementation of reforms, including the legal framework on the rule of law and the fight against corruption, and urge the authorities to guarantee the independence of the judiciary.
The Kosovar authorities are called upon to implement effective structural reforms to mitigate the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic and to accelerate economic recovery from the crisis.
Parliament also calls on the EU Council to proceed urgently with the adoption of a visa-free regime for the citizens of Kosovo. The paragraph was adopted by 453 votes, rejected by 158 votes (mainly from the Identity and Democracy group, French and Spanish MEPs from the EPP and Renew Europe groups) and 68 abstentions (including Spanish MEPs from the S&D group).
MEPs also call on the five Member States (Cyprus, Greece, Spain, Slovakia and Romania) that have not yet done so to recognise Kosovo’s independence. This amendment was supported by 453 votes, rejected by 158 (mainly MEPs whose countries do not recognise this independence) with 68 abstentions.
See the report: https://bit.ly/3faP8h9
Serbia. In the report on Serbia, adopted by 538 votes in favour, 69 against and 79 abstentions, MEPs call on the country to “make a clear and unambiguous commitment, in word and deed, to fulfil all its obligations for EU membership in a visible and verifiable way”.
The Parliament also deplores the lack of progress in many areas of the reform programme and even a setback on key issues for EU accession. Although the rapporteur had asked for the deletion of this paragraph, MEPs refused this request by a narrow majority: 305 votes (mainly ECR, Identity and Democracy, EPP and non-inscrit groups) for deletion, 346 votes (Renew Europe, S&D, and Greens/EFA) for retention and 33 abstentions.
The European Parliament considers that Serbia need to make progress in the areas of the rule of law and fundamental rights, the judiciary, media freedom, the functioning of democratic institutions and public administration, the fight against corruption and organised crime.
Regretting that part of the opposition boycotted the elections, MEPs call on the opposition to return to the negotiating table and participate in political and parliamentary activities.
Serbia must align itself with the EU’s common foreign and security policy, Parliament also demands.
See the report: https://bit.ly/31bLWJU (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)