EU invites Serbia, Kosovo to hold talks in Brussels

BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Union on Monday urged Kosovo and Serbia to show restraint in the recent upsurge of tensions over new border rules, and invited the parties to continue talks in Brussels.

Speaking at a daily news briefing in Brussels, lead spokesperson for external affairs Peter Stano called on all parties “to remain calm,” and warned that “uncoordinated and unilateral actions that jeopardize the stability and security on the ground, and impede the freedom of movement of all citizens need to stop immediately.”

Stano invited the governments “to meet in Brussels to discuss the way forward to find solutions and to prevent such tensions from reappearing.”

He said “all open issues between Serbia and Kosovo need to be addressed through the EU-facilitated dialogue,” which is essential for the two countries’ path toward the EU.

Tensions rose on Sunday ahead of a new Kosovar law supposed to take effect on Aug. 1, making it mandatory for everyone, including Serbs living in Kosovo, to have a Kosovo ID card and license plate.

Kosovo has now postponed for a month the implementation of the new border rules.

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