Serbia, Kosovo hail agreement on license plate dispute

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – Top officials of Serbia and Kosovo have welcomed an agreement to resolve the long-running dispute over vehicle license plates.

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell announced late Wednesday that Serbia and Kosovo had reached an agreement to “avoid further escalation and to fully concentrate on the proposal on normalization of their relations.”

According to Borrell, Serbia will stop issuing license plates bearing the initials of Kosovo cities while Kosovo will cease further actions related to the re-registration of vehicles.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic in an address to the nation said he is pleased that Serbia succeeded in preserving the peace of its people.

Vucic also vowed to protect the rights of Serbs in Kosovo.

Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani also expressed gratitude on social media to the US government for their support.

“I want to thank ambassador Jeff Hovenier and the US government for their active engagement in reaching today’s deal in Brussels. Their support for the dialog process between Kosovo and Serbia is indispensable. Kosovo is grateful,” said Osmani.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the agreement is not only about license plates but also about giving space to the European proposal.

Kosovo declared its independence from Serbia in 2008, with most UN member states including the US, the UK, France, Germany and Türkiye recognizing it as an autonomous country. But Belgrade continues to regard it as its territory.