Serbia-Kosovo: the failure to implement EU-facilitated agreements jeopardises the two countries’ EU perspectives

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns the attack that occurred on 24 September 2023 in the village of Banjska and expresses solidarity with the victims and their families. We call on the Serbian authorities to fully collaborate with the ongoing investigation and on the EU and its Member States to prepare targeted sanctions on the organisers, funders and perpetrators of the attack based on the findings of the investigation.

In a resolution today approved by the plenary of the European Parliament, our political group calls on Serbia and Kosovo to prevent any further escalation of violence. Both countries need to reaffirm their commitment to the Ohrid Agreement and previous EU-brokered agreements and start implementing them. Otherwise, the EU must take action in the framework of pre-accession assistance against those who do not comply with the agreements.

Renew Europe MEP, Klemen Grošelj (Gibanje Svoboda, Slovenia), shadow rapporteur on the resolution on the recent developments in the Serbia-Kosovo dialogue, including the situation in the northern municipalities in Kosovo, said:

“The first and crucial aim of EU policy in the Western Balkans needs to be reconciliation among states with a clear EU merit-based perspective for the region. Without true reconciliation and given the current geopolitical context, the region is doomed to endless power plays, which will jeopardize its EU future. Whoever acts against this political aim or tries to destabilize the region, needs to be subject to EU restrictive measures.”