Schieb: Hard to Imagine Two New Members Joining EU sans Mutual Recognition

Thomas Schieb (Beta/GIZ)

German Ambassador to Serbia Thomas Schieb said Germany supported Serbia's bid to join the European Union and wanted to see Kosovo a part of the 27-nation bloc.

Late on Oct. 15, Schieb told Radio Television Vojvodina that Germany wanted to pave the way to EU membership in the association process, and that the first step was to normalize relations between Belgrade and Pristina.

When asked what normalization would entail specifically and whether it meant mutual recognition, Schieb said it was up to the two sides to agree. What the two sides want to achieve is what matters, but it's hard to imagine two new members joining the EU without recognizing each other, he said.

Opening new chapters in negotiations with the EU and resolving the Kosovo issue are two parallel processes, Schieb said when asked whether Belgrade could open new chapters if the talks with Pristina fell through.

Opening new chapters depends only on advancing in reforms, he stressed, adding that he considered the European Commission's report on Serbia's progress balanced and thorough. He agreed with the EC's assessment that insufficient strides had been made in the rule of law.