Page 14 - SE Outlook Regions 2024

liberalisation with the EU, enabling its citizens to travel freely within the union's member states starting from January 2024. Notably, Kosovo was the last Western Balkan country to receive such a privilege.
Concurrently, the year 2024 holds significant importance for Kosovo in addressing its relations with Serbia, from which it declared independence in 2008, a prerequisite for both nations to advance further on the path to EU integration.
Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state, creating an obstacle to their mutual progress toward EU accession. Currently, five EU member states do not acknowledge Kosovo's independence, preventing it from attaining even candidate status.
Unfortunately, Kosovo experienced serious incidents on two separate occasions in 2023, further exacerbating the already tense relations with Serbia.
At the end of May, a crisis unfolded due to protests organised by Serbs residing in northern Kosovo. This led to dozens of KFOR peacekeeping troops sustaining injuries during confrontations. The protests were a response to the appointment of Albanian mayors, who were voted in after snap local elections that were boycotted by the predominantly Serb population in the area.
Tensions persist in northern Kosovo, predominantly inhabited by ethnic Serbs. While Belgrade and Pristina verbally reached an agreement and an annex agreement in 2023 on normalisation of their relations, they remained unsigned, leading to sporadic outbreaks of violence. Additionally, punitive measures from the EU and US have been imposed on Kosovo due to its failure to de-escalate tensions in the northern regions.
The impact of these measures on the economy is challenging to quantify, and despite them, international financial institutions (IFIs) continue to support the country.
In its latest conclusions, the European Council urged Kosovo and Serbia to promptly adhere to the previous agreements, and specifically stressed the need for establishment of the Association/Community of Serb Majority Municipalities.
The Council recalled that reversible measures have been implemented by the EU regarding Kosovo due to the absence of decisive action to de-escalate tensions in the country's north. The Council acknowledged Kosovo's efforts in addressing some of the EU's requests and affirmed that the EU is prepared to rescind these measures upon further progress.
The EU Council also called on both sides to refrain from unilateral and
14 SE Outlook 2024 www.intellinews.com