The Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Germany and France, Heiko Maas and Jean-Yves Le Drian, stated that it is high time to renew the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina, the goal of which is to achieve a sustainable, comprehensive and legally binding agreement that regulates all open issues and contributes to regional stability.
In a joint text published on the same day in the Belgrade Blic, the Kosovo newspaper Koha ditore and the KoSSev portal, Mas and Le Drijan stated that Germany and France are ready to provide strong political, diplomatic and economic support to Miroslav Lajčak, the special representative for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. and his team.
"In cooperation with Serbia and Kosovo, we are determined to remove all remaining obstacles. The unresolved situation between the two countries remains a factor of destabilization for the entire Western Balkans, which has security significance for the whole of Europe. It hinders much-needed economic development and political progress," they stated. two ministers.
They added that French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his willingness to hold a second summit of the heads of state or governments of the region in Paris after last year's in Berlin, but that the prerequisite for that is the readiness of the two sides for dialogue.
"We are aware of the many open issues that must be resolved before an agreement can be reached. There are no shortcuts or 'quick fixes'. A serious approach requires well-structured, thorough negotiations, with the European Union as a sincere mediator. We need a stronger engagement in mediation and political determination," the text reads.
Mas and Le Drian stated that "it is encouraging to see how pragmatically Kosovo and Serbia have so far cooperated across borders in the fight against the coronavirus."
"We also welcome the decision of the Prime Minister (Aljbin of Kosovo) Kurti to suspend 100 percent of taxes on goods from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. We expect Serbia to make its contribution. In addition, we expect the implementation of all agreements between Belgrade and Pristina in the EU-mediated dialogue, achieved since 2011," the heads of diplomacy of Germany and France wrote.
They assessed that "this is not the time for political maneuvers" and that "the current crisis will further deepen social tensions and political discontent".
"Strengthening institutions, the fight against corruption and organized crime, and opening up economic opportunities for everyone means taking citizens' demands seriously. This is the path to the future that we propose and on which we want to be with you," the text states.
Mas and Le Drian stated that the coronavirus has "upended everyday life" and brought with it the risk of intensifying all conflicts, emphasizing vulnerabilities and inequalities that have existed in Europe and the world for years.
"We are very aware of this risk and we are ready to face it together, with increased international and European cooperation," the text reads.
They stated that due to the pandemic, "some of the old conflicts and internal disagreements are also appearing in a new light".
"The virus shows us where we have to change. And when we say 'we', we mean Europe as a whole: both the EU member states and the states that are on the way to join our union. No region is closer to the European Union than the six the country of the Western Balkans, in a geographical, historical and political sense and thanks to people-to-people contacts", Mas and Le Drian stated.
They added that they stand by the countries of the Western Balkans in the current crisis.
"Already in March, the European Union announced a package of support to the countries of the Western Balkans to cover urgent needs in the health sector and for the socio-economic recovery of the region. The EU-Western Balkans summit, held on May 6 within the framework of the Croatian presidency of the Union, emphasized this strong signal of solidarity ", it is written in the joint text.
The two ministers stated that more than 3,3 billion euros have been mobilized so far and that this aid "far exceeds what any other partner has allocated for the region".
They added that the EU also provides assistance by facilitating the movement of goods, including unrestricted trade in protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, as well as the establishment of "Green Corridors" that should facilitate cross-border traffic between the EU and the Western Balkans.
"The member states provide additional assistance bilaterally. Germany will help the region with an additional 10 million euros, and the French Development Agency plans to increase the promised financial resources to combat the consequences of the crisis," the text reads.
Mas and Le Drian remind that on March 25, despite the restriction of freedom of movement, European statesmen agreed on a new and more efficient EU enlargement methodology that requires greater political involvement from all actors in order to provide better support for the reforms that all states must implement before joining the Union.
"Our reaction once again confirms our commitment to the countries of the Western Balkans and the European perspective of the region," added the heads of German and French diplomacy.
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