Friday

29th Mar 2024

Kosovo will proclaim independence on 17 February, Serbia says

The Serbian breakaway province of Kosovo intends to proclaim independence next Sunday (17 February), Serbia said on Friday, saying it has information to back up the claim.

"The Serbian government has received more and more significant information that [Kosovo's prime minister] Hashim Thaci will illegally declare the unilateral independence of Kosovo on February 17," Slobodan Samardzic, Serbia's minister for Kosovo was quoted as saying by press agencies on Friday (8 February).

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

Mr Samardzic did not specify the source of Serbia's information, however.

The Serbian minister's comments came after a meeting with EU official Stefan Lehne, a special advisor to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Mr Lehne was in Belgrade to clarify the EU's plans to send a civilian mission to Kosovo, according to the Associated Press.

Serbia opposes the EU mission unless it is approved by the UN, seeing it as a step towards Kosovo's independence.

After the EU approved the 1,800-strong mission earlier this week, the signing of an interim political agreement with Belgrade was delayed.

The EU agreement offered Serbia closer trade relations, relaxed visa requirements and educational cooperation. It was to be signed on Thursday (7 February).

Serbian prime minister Vojislav Kostunica – who believes the deal is aimed at luring Serbia into recognising Kosovo - blocked a government meeting set to give the country's deputy premier, Bojidar Djelic, a mandate to sign the deal.

EU deal is 'double zero'

On Friday, Mr Samardzic expressed similar views.

"The EU cannot expect that just before the unilateral declaration of independence announced for the 17th of February, that Serbia itself signs for the independence of Kosovo," he said.

The minister for Kosovo went further, accusing the EU of trying to deceive Serbia by a deal "without any substance".

"The deal is nothing. Double zero," he was quoted as saying by Serbian news site B92.net.

"It's unfortunate that the EU has infiltrated the Serbian political system in this way just a day after the election of a new president," Mr Samardzic added, referring to the approval of the Kosovo mission on the day following Serbia's presidential elections.

Earlier this week, the EU lashed out at Serbia for delaying the signing of the political agreement, which Brussels insisted had nothing to do with the situation in Kosovo.

Meanwhile, Kosovo's premier Hashim Thaci said on Friday that the province's independence "is a done [deal]. Everybody knows it," AFP reports.

Mr Thaci added that his government had confirmation Kosovo's independence would receive "massive international recognition … [from] about 100 countries" immediately after it is proclaimed.

Kosovo, legally a part of Serbia's territory, has been under UN governance since 1999. The question of its future status has remained unsolved for years.

Pristina wants full independence, but Belgrade – backed by its traditional ally Russia – categorically opposes it.

US and EU breaking taboos to restrain Israel

The US abstained and all EU states on the UN Security Council backed a call for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, as Europe prepares to also blacklist extremist Israeli settlers.

EU warns Russia over Moscow terror attacks

Europe has warned Russia not to use the weekend's terror attacks in Moscow as a pretext to escalate its war in Ukraine and crackdown on internal dissent.

EU summit risks failing Gaza once again, Ireland warns

Austrians and Czechs might block an EU statement calling for an Israeli ceasefire, Ireland warned, as leaders met in Brussels amid starvation in Gaza. Israel's conduct of the war meant it had "squandered the support they had", Leo Varadkar said.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us