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WORLD NEWS Monday 29 august 2022

EU official says Serbia, Kosovo agree on IDs in step

forward

Associated Press
(AP) — The European
Union’s foreign policy chief
announced Saturday that
Serbia and Kosovo have
agreed on how to resolve
a dispute over their identity
documents, settling one
of the problems that have
sparked the latest tensions
between the former Balkan
war foes.
The comments by Josep
Borell come after a flurry
of international diplomatic
efforts to defuse concerns
that the problems could
escalate further amid the
war in Ukraine and Serbia’s
close ties with Russia.
Kosovo declared indepen-
dence from Serbia in 2008,
which Belgrade does not
recognize.
Tensions soared late last
month when Kosovo’s gov- In this photo provided by the Serbian Presidential Press Service, Serbian President Aleksandar Vu-
ernment declared that cic, right, speaks with European Union envoy Miroslav Lajcak in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, Aug.
Serb-issued identity docu- 25, 2022. (Serbian Presidential Press Service via AP)
ments and vehicle license
plates would no longer other citizens, will be able crackdown against ethnic forward their efforts to join
be valid in Kosovo’s terri- to travel freely between Albanian separatist rebels. the European Union.
tory, just as Kosovo-issued Kosovo & Serbia using their For several years, the EU NATO peacekeepers have
ones are not valid in Serbia. ID cards,” he added. has mediated negotiations stepped up their presence
Serbia in the past years re- Kosovo President Vlosa Os- between Kosovo and Ser- in northern Kosovo in re-
quired Kosovo ID holders mani said on Facebook bia, seeking to normalize sponse to the increased
to acquire special passes that the deal meant “reci- their relations and move tensions.q
when traveling through procity and equality.”
Serbia to show it does not “Freedom of movement is Glamping Aruba
recognize Kosovo’s inde- the foundation of demo-
pendence. cratic societies and Eu-
Kosovo said it was respond- ropean values,” she said, Are you a Nature Lover?
ing with reciprocity to Ser- adding that Kosovo will Than Glamping Aruba is the right place to stay.
bia. But Kosovo Serbs react- continue to strive for “mu-
ed furiously, blocking roads tual recognition.”
in the Serb-dominated Earlier Saturday, Vucic told
north. Belgrade accused reporters that if the ID deal
Kosovo of pressuring minor- is reached, Serbia will issue
ity Serbs in the north, who a “general disclaimer” on
largely reject Kosovo-issued the boundary, saying the
documents in defiance of use of Kosovo ID cards is
Kosovo’s statehood and enabled for “practical rea-
hold Serbian ones. sons and freedom of move-
In the past two weeks, EU ment,” and does not mean
officials mediated a meet- Serbia’s recognition of
ing between Serbian Presi- Kosovo or its future status.
dent Aleksandar Vucic and However, he said the Ser-
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin bian car registration plates
Kurti in Brussels, and U.S. that many Kosovo Serbs still
and EU envoys traveled to use remains an unresolved
the region to try to resolve issue. Kosovo’s indepen-
the issue. dence has been recog-
“We have a deal,” Bor- nized by Washington and
rell said on Twitter. “Serbia most EU countries, while
agreed to abolish entry/ Serbia has relied on sup-
exit documents for Koso- port from Moscow and Chi-
vo ID holders and Kosovo na for its bid to retain the
agreed to not introduce former province. Belgrade
them for Serbian ID hold- lost control over Kosovo in
ers.” 1999 after NATO bombed
“Kosovo Serbs, as well as all the country to stop its brutal