Following a tense meeting last month in the city of Ohrid, in North Macedonia, the EU was able to narrowly squeeze out what it called the “implementation annexe” to the broader agreement for normalisation of relations between the two adversaries of Kosovo and Serbia.
Although relatively light in content, the annexe could represent the first steps to Serbia and Kosovo finally working more constructively together — if it is actually implemented.
So far, however, the two sides have shown little appetite for doing so. Almost immediately following the conclusion of the meeting with EU representative Josep Borrell, both sides began backtracking upon a number of promises made.
If the EU cannot bring the two together following its current approach, it must seriously consider modifying its relationship with the Balkan nations, even if this entails reconsidering the current membership prospects of Belgrade and Pristina.
