Lajçak says that Serbia has withdrawn Bërnabić's letter against the agreements

The European facilitator of the dialogue, Miroslav Lajçak, has stayed in Pristina in preparation for the next meeting in Brussels at the level of chief negotiators. After the meetings he held, he said that an agreement has been reached for this meeting, although he did not give a date when it will be held. Lajcaku confirmed that the parties have not withdrawn from the agreements agreed last year and when he spoke about the bridge over the Ibrit, he said that it should be opened but in coordination with international partners.

The emissary of the European Union, Miroslav Lajçak, confirmed the appointment of a meeting within the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, but did not announce the date when it will be held.

On Friday, he stayed in Pristina, where he met with the deputy prime minister, Besnik Bislimi, to discuss the developments around the central bridge over the Ibar and, as he said, the unblocking of the implementation of the Basic Agreement.

"The position of the European Union is known, but I want to repeat that the bridge must be opened. But this should be done in close cooperation with Kosovo's international partners and we discussed this", said Lajçak.

And in the announcement of the Government, it was announced that Bislimi told the European emissary that the bridge should be opened without further delays and obstacles.

"Deputy Prime Minister Bislimi emphasized that the opening of the main bridge of Mitrovica over the Iber is a matter addressed and agreed upon in Brussels, within the dialogue process mediated by the European Union, and that it should be opened according to the existing agreement and the conclusions of the Commission's own report European Council of 2020, which estimates that the works on the bridge have been completed and it should be opened without further delays and obstacles", says the announcement of the Prime Minister's Office.

Regarding the Basic Agreement, the implementation of which has stalled, Lajcaku reminded the parties of the obligations assumed. Asked about the letter of the former Serbian prime minister, Ana Bërnabiq, in which it was said that Serbia does not implement the points that confirm Kosovo's citizenship, Lajcaku said that the document has been withdrawn.

"The letter (of former prime minister Ana Bërnabiq) has been withdrawn. There are statements here and there that don't help at all. But the agreement as such is valid in its entirety and beyond that, the agreement has already become part of the European path of Kosovo and Serbia. So it's valid both ways. We have agreed on something, but we cannot say this without coordinating with others", he added.

As for the Basic Agreement and the Annex, the Prime Minister's Office announced that Bislimi has reiterated that their signature is the only guarantee for implementation by Serbia.

The last meetings at the level of chief negotiators were held before the summer, within the framework of commitments to find a solution for the implementation of the CBK regulation in the north, but they did not produce any results.