Lajcak discusses latest developments in Belgrade-Pristina dialogue on normalization of relations in Rome

Photo: Tanjug/Milos Milivojevic

EU special envoy for dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina Miroslav Lajcak has announced that he had a series of meetings with Italian officials in Rome about the latest developments in the dialogue on normalization of relations between Belgrade and Pristina, broader regional issues and the next steps in the coming months.

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In a post on Facebook, Lajcak stated that he spoke with Italian Prime Minister's diplomatic advisor Fabrizio Saggio, Deputy Secretary-General at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Carlo Lo Cascio and Adriatic and Balkans Director Andrea Cascone, and announced that today he will discuss the matter with Maltese officials.

"I'm grateful for Italy's continuous support and close coordination in our shared efforts. From Rome, I'll head to Malta for another series of important consultations tomorrow," Lajcak posted yesterday.

He recalled that earlier this week in Brussels, he exchanged "updates on our respective files" regarding the situation in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina with Dora Bakoyannis, rapporteur for the Political Affairs Committee of PACE, and added that the "most intense" part of last week was the Munich Security Conference.

"I participated in multiple events focused on the Western Balkans, including a public panel discussion on the future of the Western Balkans, where I emphasized the urgent need to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia," Lajcak wrote.

According to him, normalization of relations is fundamental for the stability of the region, economic development and progress towards the European Union.

The situation in Kosovo and Metohija further worsened after a decree was adopted by the so-called the central bank of Kosovo, according to which the only currency in which cash payments can be made is the euro, which means a ban on the Serbian dinar.

The regulation jeopardizes the survival of Serbs in Kosovo, who receive their income from Serbia, in dinars.

European Commission spokesman Peter Stano confirmed yesterday that Lajcak had invited representatives of Belgrade and Pristina to a meeting on February 27 in Brussels to discuss the said decree.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)