Borrell again Demands from Kosovo, Serbia To De-escalate Tensions Urgently

Josep Borrell (Photo: PrintScreen YouTube)

 EU High Representative Josep Borrell on June 27 again called on Kosovo and Serbia to take urgent measure toward de-escalating tensions.

“I made it clear - and this was also the position of the Member States yesterday at the Foreign Affairs Council in Luxembourg - that the Parties have to de-escalate the situation and to find a way forward based on the European Union’s Roadmap that has been proposed to them and tabled to the Parties in Brussels, last week,” Borrell told a news conference in Brussels after meeting Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Borrell also said the EU member states had agreed that “the situation requires quick moves, requires de-escalation and looking for a solution urgently. “ He also thanked Rama for sharing his “commitments and support to the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue.” Speaking about Tirana’s EU integration, Borrell said that Albania had been demonstrating “a clear will” to move forward in the accession negotiation process.

Rama described the situation in Kosovo as “very concerning,” noting that it concerned the stability of the entire region and its progress. He said “the good” words about Albania’s activities on its EU path he had heard during his stay in Brussels were encouraging. “We will continue and I am assured that we will be ready timely for the next step,” Rama noted.

Earlier in Brussels on June 27, Rama met with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. “Very good meeting with Edi Rama. We discussed the progress on Albania’s EU accession path and our new Growth Plan for the Western Balkans. This will bring the region and the EU closer together, and boos prosperity in our partners,” Von der Leyen has written on her Twitter.