U.S: Formation of Community of Serb Municipalities Would Further Kosovo’s Recognition

Gabriel Escobar (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/EV)

The formation of the Community of Serb Municipalities in Kosovo is a key element in normalizing relations between Belgrade and Pristina and would bring further recognition of Kosovo’s independence, U.S. special envoy for the Western Balkans Gabriel Escobar told the U.S. House of Representatives late on July 18.

According to the Agreement on the path to normalization, said Escobar, who is also U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state, Kosovo and Serbia “even agreed to recognize each other’s [official] documents and national symbols” and “most importantly, [that] Serbia will no longer lobby against Kosovo joining international organizations.”

A crucial prerequisite for all this to happen, Escobar explained, is Kosovo meeting its obligation from 2013, i.e. “forming a Community of Serb Municipalities which would strengthen municipalities with common interests, language and culture to coordinate common challenges in providing certain public service, including education, healthcare and local economic development.”