The emissary of the European Union for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajčák, said that the focus of this week in Brussels will be on the first meeting of the Joint Commission for missing persons.

Kosovo and Serbia agreed on the full implementation of the Joint Declaration on forcibly disappeared persons in December of last year. The agreement on the establishment of the Commission was made during the tripartite meeting between the chief negotiators, with the envoy of the European Union in Brussels.

Regarding the need to advance the dialogue, Lajcak wrote that he has discussed with high officials of the United States.

My first mission of the year took me to the United States. In Washington, D.C., I engaged in detailed discussions with Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Jim O’Brien and Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Balkans Sasha Kasanof. Together, we delved into the geopolitical challenges and opportunities facing the region, emphasizing the importance of continuous cooperation and the need to advance in the Normalization Dialogue,” Lajčák wrote.

Lajčák wrote that he also informed the Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Verma, before the latter’s visit to the region.

“Again in Brussels, this week’s focus will be on Missing Persons with the first meeting of the Joint Commission”, said Lajčák.

Kosovo and Serbia reached an agreement in 2023 on the Joint Declaration on missing persons, within the dialogue for the normalization of relations mediated by the European Union.

Among the commitments in this declaration are access to reliable information, including those with qualified status, and making available all documents important in determining the fate of missing persons.

In the last war in Kosovo, over six thousand people disappeared, of them 1,600 are still missing.

Kosovo continues to ask Serbia to reveal their location, but without success.