The EU General Affairs Council will next week call on Pristina to form the Community of Serb Municipalities and submit a draft statute on its establishment to the Constitutional Court without further delay, according to a draft of the conclusions on enlargement, which Tanjug has seen.
At the same time, the document states that the Council will condemn the attack on the Ibar-Lepenac canal and state that the EU measures against Pristina remain in force.
“The measures that have been implemented against Kosovo due to the lack of decisive action to de-escalate tensions in northern Kosovo remain in force,” the part dedicated to Pristina in the draft conclusions on enlargement, which should be adopted at the meeting of the EU General Affairs Council on December 17, states.
It reiterates that the Agreement on the Path to Normalization of Relations and its implementation annex must be fully respected and implemented “as soon as possible without preconditions,” as well as all obligations related to the EU, together with other outstanding obligations achieved in the dialogue.
For Pristina, it is stated that this includes the establishment of the Community of Serb Municipalities “starting with the submission of the draft statute, which was presented to the parties by the EU mediator, by a decision of the Government of Kosovo, to the Constitutional Court of Kosovo without further delay.”
As it is added, the Council will express deep concern about the situation in northern Kosovo and call on Belgrade and Pristina to continue sustained efforts to de-escalate, refrain from unilateral and provocative actions that could lead to tensions and violence, and avoid divisive rhetoric.
The draft points out that, as stated, “several uncoordinated actions” by Pristina, including those directed against structures and services supported by Belgrade, have had a negative impact on Serbs in Kosovo and other communities and their access to basic public and social services, and the increased presence of KFOR is supported.
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It is also stated that it is envisaged that the status of structures and services supported by Belgrade will be resolved in accordance with, as stated, agreements reached in the dialogue mediated by the EU and Pristina law.
The recent attack on the Ibar-Lepenac canal in northern Kosovo is condemned, and solidarity is expressed with those affected by it.
The draft emphasizes that the EU Council expects the perpetrators to be arrested and brought to justice and calls on all interested parties to cooperate fully with the competent authorities.
The EU Council calls on Pristina to enable the reintegration of Serb judges, prosecutors, police officers and other personnel from Kosovo into Pristina institutions and states that it expects reintegration to be carried out in accordance with the agreements from the dialogue and with full respect for the Pristina legal framework.
It is also emphasized that it is essential to hold “inclusive local elections” in Kosovo, with the full participation of Serbs, without any preconditions, in all four northern municipalities, and regrets that most Serbs from Kosovo boycotted the vote on the recall of mayors of municipalities in the north this year.
“The Council encourages all Kosovo Serbs who are members of the Kosovo Assembly to actively and constructively engage in the work of the Assembly,” the draft conclusions add.
The steps taken by Pristina to fulfill its obligations under CEFTA, including the abolition of the decision to ban imports of goods of Serbian origin, which, as the draft states, “must be applied quickly and fully,” are welcomed.
These conclusions, after being adopted by the EU General Affairs Council, should also be supported by EU leaders at the European Council meeting on December 19 in Brussels.
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Source: Kurir, Photo: EPA/Valdrin Xhemaj