Serbia needs to open new cluster in EU ascension talks, EU sees escalation in Pristina: Official

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - Oliver Varhelyi, the EU commissioner responsible for enlargement and neighborhood, said Tuesday that Serbia has made progress on the ground and “it must be recognized.”

“That's why we stand by our proposal to open the next cluster. Only through these steps can we maintain the level of motivation to move forward. That's why we need to move forward with Serbia as well," Varhelyi said at a news conference after a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Varhelyi said Serbia's progress on the ground is noticeable and when it exists, the EU must move forward, together with it.

"However, things did not go any easier in Serbia when organizing new intergovernmental conferences on accession, and I think this is due to the influence of Russian aggression on Ukraine," said Varhelji.

He said the European Commission will not be asked to make a statement on Kosovo's application for accession to the EU due to new elements of escalation.

"We see that instead of de-escalating the situation, new elements of escalation are appearing in the country. The last such element is the decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo to ban the use of the dinar," said Varheji.

The commissioner added that he is ready to give his opinion on Pristina's application as soon as the Council entrusts him with it.

Kosovo adopted the euro for cash payment transactions on Feb. 1 despite concerns by ethnic Serbs in the north.

The central bank announced the decision Jan. 18 and said currencies other than the euro can only be used in Kosovo for physical safekeeping or bank accounts.

The decision triggered outrage because ethnic Serb communities in Kosovo had been using the dinar, the official currency of neighboring Serbia, at state and commercial institutions. Many local Serbs have an attachment or even allegiance to Serbia.

The parties will meet Tuesday in Brussels as part of the dialogue process between Belgrade and Pristina.

Western countries including the US, France, Italy, Germany and the UK have urged Kosovo to halt the implementation of the currency regulation.