Serbian PM to Make Landmark Visit to Kosovo
Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic is to make a landmark visit Wednesday to Kosovo, the former Serbian province that unilaterally declared independence in 2008 to the fury of Belgrade.
Vucic's highly symbolic visit for Orthodox New Year will include stops in Serbian enclaves but no meetings with Kosovo's leaders, Belgrade announced.
Unlike more than 100 other countries, including the U.S. and most of the EU's 28 member states, Serbia refuses to recognize Kosovo's independence, but both Belgrade and Pristina have been forced to normalize ties if they want to progress towards EU membership.
Kosovo's leaders in Pristina said they approved the visit which is both "humanitarian and religious," in nature, Kosovo's Foreign Affairs Minister Hashim Thaci told reporters.
"We strive to intensify visits on both sides, we must not be afraid to communicate," Thaci added.
Vucic's itinerary has him visiting the towns of Pasjane, Strpce and Gracanica in the country of nearly two million, which has a Serbian minority of about 120,000. The premier's entourage will also include Serbia's ministers of defense, interior, justice, health and work.
Communications between Belgrade and Pristina have multiplied since their relations were normalized in 2013 with an agreement brokered by the European Union.
Following the 1998-99 war between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian guerrillas, a NATO bombing campaign forced Serbian troops to withdraw from Kosovo and cede control of the territory.
Source: Agence France Presse
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