Everyone in Washington, Brussels and the Balkans understands that Serbia will have to recognize Kosovo before joining the European Union, an American professor, political analyst and balkanist Daniel Server said on the eve of Serbian President Alexander Vucic’s visit to Washington.
He said that the decision to adopt a new EU member is a question of Europeans though, the United States has leverage to accelerate this process, and immediately added that the United States will continue to insist on Kosovo’s independence.
“The Americans will make every effort to ensure that the Kosovo army was formed without activity of resistance from Belgrade, and Washington will support it,” Mr Server said.
The analyst added that if Ramush Haradinaj becomes the premier of the self-proclaimed republic, Serbia should accept this.
“The Republic of Kosovo” unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The United States was one of the first countries to recognize its independence.
In June, an extraordinary parliamentary election was held in Kosovo, a coalition of former military commanders who were accused in Serbia of serious war crimes and terrorism won a victory. One of them is Ramush Haradinaj.
The normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina is one of the key conditions for Serbia’s accession to the EU.