Serbian President Vucic agrees solution plan for Kosovo Protesters in Israel fear “the end of democracy” – that’s behind it

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has indicated he may agree to the latest Franco-German plan to normalize relations with Kosovo. Western negotiators had given him the choice to accept the plan or face the consequences of ending EU accession negotiations and withdrawing foreign investment, he said Monday night.

Faced with this choice, “I favor the path of compromise, however controversial it may be,” Vucic said at a live-television press conference. Kosovo, which has been independent since 2008, is now inhabited almost exclusively by Albanians. Serbia does not recognize the state of its former province and claims the territory of Kosovo for itself.

The Franco-German plan, which was announced last autumn, provides, among other things, that Serbia and Kosovo will not formally recognize each other, but will mutually accept their state existence within the current borders. Notably, Serbia would stop blocking Kosovo’s membership in international organizations with Russia’s active support.

“There is no doubt that we support Kosovo’s entry into the UN, but we would de facto accept membership,” Vucic continued. But nothing has been decided yet, he added. In the end, the Serbian parliament and “perhaps the people” should decide. (sda/dpa)