Skopje, 28 February 2023 (MIA) — Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski is ready to host a meeting on March 18 between Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Kosovo's Prime Minister Albin Kurti as part of negotiations between Belgrade and Prishtina mediated by the EU and the USA, government sources confirmed.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell and EU Special Representative for the Belgrade – Prishtina Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák will participate in the meeting, MIA has learned.

The meeting follows Serbia's President Vučić and Kosovo's Prime Minister Kurti’s acceptance of an EU proposal on Monday to normalize tense bilateral relations, which is “extremely important for the future and stability of the region, and North Macedonia is proving once again that it is a factor of stability,” the government sources said.

“This was recently pointed out at the Munich Security Conference, where Prime Minister Kovachevski led the government delegation,” they said.

Vučić said he would next meet with Kurti in North Macedonia on March 18. 

He described the talks in Brussels as difficult, pointing out that the main stumbling block was the Community of Serb Municipalities of Kosovo.

“We had a tough meeting and I believe there will be many more in the coming period. We should meet on March 18 in North Macedonia, when Borel will visit the region. Until then we will talk with Lajčák about the things we need to implement,” Vučić said.

“I insisted on the Community of Serb Municipalities. Kurti was not ready to accept it now. We will see if he will be ready in the future,” he added.

After the meeting in Brussels on Monday between Vučić and Kurti, Borrell said both of them agreed no further negotiations were needed on the EU proposal and accepted it as a framework for normalizing relations between the two sides.

Further talks were now necessary to implement the deal, he noted.

The EU’s foreign affairs chief also said Vučić and Kurti had shown responsible behavior.

“Now that they have agreed on it, the text of the plan will be available to the public very soon,” he said.

The agreement, most of all, is for the citizens of Kosovo and Serbia, Borrell said, adding it provides for people to move freely between Kosovo and Serbia with their passports, identity cards and license plates. mr/