By Elvita Mertins
The European Union
(EU) has been set ambitious demands to Kosovo and Serbia towards their way to
EU membership. Kosovo has been identified as a potential candidate for EU
membership, since its declared independence from Serbia in 2008, while Serbia
was granted to the EU candidate status in 2012. Kosovo’s declaration of
independence was firmly rejected by Serbia. Consequently, it has led the region
into unresolved territorial disputes and a frozen conflict between Serbia and
Kosovo. However, the EU has made clear the statement that both countries’
progress toward an accession depends on improving their neighborly relations
and ensuring peace in the region. Hence, unresolved territorial disputes have
become one of the main obstacles of both countries’ to the EU membership
aspirations.
First and foremost, Serbia has maintained that the two objectives – Serbia’s EU membership and normalization of relations with Kosovo – are mutually exclusive. The EU’s enlargement strategy is based on a development of positive relations with neighbors, and from this perspective any anti-Kosovo policies or aggressions from Serbia are counterproductive to the EU interests. Furthermore, it is evident that, member states have no interests in importing further territorial disputes in the EU.
