The draft version of the EU-Western Balkans declaration expected to be delivered at the end of the upcoming summit in Sofia will refer to Balkan countries as ‘partners’ instead of ‘states’ in order to ensure participation of those that have not recognised Kosovo’s independence.
EU member states will refer to Western Balkan nations as “partners” and not as “states” in the text expected to be adopted at the end of EU-Western Balkans summit in Sofia in May.
This compromise is designed to ensure all 34 invitees attend the Sofia Summit, which is seen as the highlight of Bulgaria’s stint at the helm of the EU in the first half of 2018, after some of the countries that do not recognise Kosovo’s independence indicated they may not attend the gathering.
The information, shared on Twitter by a Radio Free Europe reporter on Friday, was confirmed for BIRN by an EU official familiar with the pre-summit discussions in Brussels.
“Last week, EU ambassadors agreed on an EU28 declaration that will now be consulted with the Western Balkans partners,” the EU official who preferred not to disclose his name, told BIRN on Monday.
“For ease, we say partners, as you know that not all EU Member States recognise Kosovo,” he added.
Kosovo declared independence in 2008. Serbia has vowed never to recognise the independence of its former province, and five EU states, some with separatist issues of their own, have also withheld recognition: Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Greece and Cyprus.
Since early April, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov has made several journeys that appeared to be aimed at ensuring both Serbia and Kosovo participated at the Summit.
“Kosovo will be represented the way it has been recognised by over 100 world countries. Whereas as far as countries that haven’t recognised it are concerned, we will find a solution,” he told reporters last Monday, when he visited Kosovo to meet President Hashim Thaci.
Earlier this month, he met Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in Mostar, Bosnia, after the latter suggested that his participation at the summit was still not certain.
“Bulgaria works towards achieving a full Summit format in Sofia, which means having the leaders of EU-28 and representatives of all six Western Balkan states. Otherwise it will be just a high-level meeting,” Vessela Tcherneva, head of the Sofia office of the European Council of Foreign Relations, ECFR, told BIRN.
For more read the full of article at The Balkaninsight
