BELGRADE, February 28. /TASS/. Serbia’s membership in the European Union will serve as a guarantee of security in the entire region, Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic said on Tuesday.
"The Western Balkan countries should be part of the peace projects and I think that long-term peace and mutual understanding between countries in this part of Europe can be guaranteed much sooner thanks to our joint membership in the European Union," the Serbian government quoted her as saying in a press statement. "The Prime minister recalled that the European Union is the largest investor in Serbia and, undoubtedly, the most successful peaceful project of humankind."
She stressed that the results of the EU’s participation in the settlement of the Kosovo problems will directly influence the organization’s reputation. "From the point of view of thee integration into the European Union, regional cooperation and the stable and peaceful region, dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is number one priority. Today, the agenda should include the issue of the Community of Serb Municipalities. Trust to the European Union will depend on its implementation," she noted.
The Brussels agreements on the normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina dated April 19, 2013 envisage the establishment 0f the Community of Serb Municipalities - a self-government body of Serbs living in the unrecognized republic of Kosovo. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has repeatedly stressed that his country has fulfilled its part of the Brussels agreements whereas the Kosovars only began to work on the Community’s charter but later suspended this work.
On Monday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held talks with Prime Minister of the unrecognized republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti in Brussels that were brokered by EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell. The sides were offered to sign the EU-drafted Agreement on the Path to the Normalization between Kosovo and Serbia. Borrell said after the talks that both leaders had agreed with the text of the agreement, which, however, needs to be further negotiated to determine implementation modalities.
The document envisages mutual recognition of passports, exchange of diplomatic missions, and legally-binding commitments to work toward comprehensive normalization.