Serbia will not be able to join the European Union without recognizing Kosovo’s statehood and abandoning the idea of a “Serbian world,” said Tonino Picula, the European Parliament rapporteur for Serbia. He emphasized that Belgrade must cooperate in the arrest of Milan Radoičić, the leader of the armed group that carried out the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvečan, on September 24, 2023.
“Without full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia, there will be no EU integration. The integration of both countries into the European family is closely tied to dialogue, which must conclude with a legally binding comprehensive agreement on the normalization of relations,” Picula stated in an interview for Jutarnji List, as reported by The Geopost.
He noted that although dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia was renewed in 2023, it has instead faced a series of crises, the most severe being the attack by Serbian paramilitary forces in northern Kosovo.
Picula stressed that the Banjska attack, led by Radoičić, was a grave breach of peace and that Belgrade’s handling of the perpetrators should be a key criterion in assessing Serbia’s commitment to the European path.
“The EU Office in Kosovo has already told Belgrade that it expects the arrest and prosecution of those responsible for the Banjska attack who remain in Serbia. Unfortunately, Belgrade continues to ignore these requests. This appears to be an obstruction of the judicial process, likely carried out under orders from the country’s leadership,” Picula said.
