Serbia blocks entry of so called Kosovo in EUSAIR

Serbia has said it will not allow Kosovo, as an independent country, to be part of the European Union’s Strategy for the Adriatic-Ionian Region (EUSAIR), in which 10 countries co-operate in the fields of transport, tourism, environmental protection and energy.

Tirana was visited by a delegation of Kosovo led by Minister of Local Self-Government Elbert Krasniqi, who was not present at that meeting, but met with the representatives of the European Commission, asking for Kosovo’s admission to EUSAIR, HRT reports.

It is recalled that the EUSAIR Forum is attended by Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Greece, Serbia, BiH, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Albania and San Marino, and it was launched in 2014 by the European Commission in order to bring candidates and potential candidate countries closer to EU membership.

Those 10 countries that have coasts of the Adriatic and Ionian Seas, or are located in their hinterland, gathered at the annual conference in Tirana from May 16 to 18.

The admission of new members requires the consent of all 10 EUSAIR members.

„In accordance with international law and the UN Charter, Kosovo and Metohija are an integral part of the Republic of Serbia, as a full member of the UN. All relevant issues related to Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia are contained in the UN Security Council Resolution 1244,“ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia wrote in an e-mail sent to Hina.

This month, BiH took over the presidency of EUSAIR, while on June 1, 2023, Croatia will take over the one-year presidency.
In an interview with Hina on Sunday, Krasniqi said he believed Croatia would support Kosovo’s aspirations.

The European Commission said that EUSAIR could be further expanded, but that the entry of countries did not depend on them, but on the consent of all 10 members, and that Serbia was blocking the entry of Kosovo.

Izvor: N1, FoNet

Foto: Pexels