Kosovo and Serbia have reached a bilateral agreement on license plates, confirmed EU Special Envoy for the dialogue Miroslav Lajcak.
Lajcak thanked both sides for their willingness to negotiate and reach an agreement for the welfare of citizens.
We have a deal! After two days of intense negotiations, an agreement on de-escalation and the way forward has just been reached. I thank Besnik Bislimi and Petar Petkovic for their readiness to negotiate and agree for the good of the people. pic.twitter.com/OuhuUWvuG0
— Miroslav Lajčák (@MiroslavLajcak) September 30, 2021
According to the signed agreement, posted on Twitter by Miroslav Lajcak, special unit forces deployed at the border “must be removed by October 2 no later than 4 PM”.
Instead, KFOR forces will remain at the border as a precaution to “maintain a safe and secure environment” and “freedom of movement”.
One of the temporary measures that will be enforced is the application of stickers on the license plates, to come into force on October 4.
In addition, a working group will be set up, consisting of representatives from the EU, Belgrade, and Pristina, to find a permanent solution over the license plates row.
The first meeting is due on October 21 in Brussels, while a second will take place after six months to present its findings.
On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi hinted that some progress was achieved during the meeting with Serbian representatives in Brussels, but added that it is up to Belgrade to give the green light to the points in the agreement.
“Of course, we would prefer not to have any barriers at all, so that both countries recognize the plates of other countries. But this will be the objective of a working group that we’ll establish soon and start working from October 21. We agreed on all points”, he said.
The move has also been welcomed by EU’s diplomacy chief Josep Borrell who took it to Twitter to commend EU Envoy Miroslav Lajcak for brokering a deal, as well as urging both sides to “engage in the Dialogue” in order to normalize ties.
Welcome the deal reached by the #Kosovo and #Serbia Chief Negotiators, facilitated by EUSR @MiroslavLajcak, to resolve tensions in the north of Kosovo.
Both Kosovo and Serbia should now constructively engage in the Dialogue to make swift progress on normalisation of relations. https://t.co/MFBu9HdmAi
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) September 30, 2021
According to the President of the EU Commission, the deal is a “positive development” for the entire region.
I warmly welcome the deal found today in Brussels between Serbia and Kosovo.
This is a very positive development following my meetings with President @avucic and Prime Minister @albinkurti
It’s good for the whole region.
The dialogue now needs to continue. https://t.co/sxBQNdhHMv
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 30, 2021
Tensions rose after Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti applied reciprocity on license plates, meaning that all Serbian vehicles entering Kosovo must replace them with Kosovar temporary license plates.
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