The head of the Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government, Petar Petković, said that Kosovo’s membership in the Council of Europe would be a “hostile gesture” against Serbia, adding that Belgrade will not stop opposing this “openly, politically and procedurally”.

Through an announcement today, Petković said that “there is a desire for haste” in resolving the Kosovo status issue, due to, as he said, “some geostrategic interests that have little to do with either Belgrade or Pristina.”

He added that Serbia calls on its partners in the Council of Europe “to bear in mind that such a result would be a precedent that would destroy the very fundamental principles of this organization” when they decide to include Kosovo.