Stano: No progress on dialogue means no progress on EU accession

BRUSSELS - EU spokesperson Peter Stano said on Thursday that no progress on the EU-faciliated dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina also meant no progress on the EU accession process.

"The EU was very clear on a number of occasions, and also in its legal documents, that the EU path of Kosovo and Serbia goes through the EU-facilitated dialogue. In other words, no progress on the dialogue means no progress on the EU accession process. I think that is very clear. This is captured in a number of documents, a number of Council conclusions – Council conclusions from 2013, 2014, after 2022, the negotiating framework of Serbia, this year’s communication on enlargement and the reports on Kosovo and Serbia," Stano said at a Brussels press briefing.

He said it was "very clearly set out what the EU and its member states expect when it comes to the accession process and the dialogue."

"This is actually a part of the same process. The dialogue and accession for Kosovo and Serbia are inevitably linked, inseparably linked," he added.

"If there is progress on one side, then it will be reflected in the accession process of that respective partner," Stano noted.

Speaking about last year's clashes in the Banjska village in the north of Kosovo-Metohija, Stano said there was "nothing new" he could say and that the EU still expected the final report on an investigation by the Pristina authorities.

"Once we see the final result, then we will, of course, analyse it, review it and draw the necessary consequences without commenting on individual remarks by anyone in this specific context," he said.

Stano said it was very clear the EU expected "unconditional cooperation" from everyone who was able to contribute to shedding light on what had happened.