Bulgaria Expects New Kosovo Cabinet To Restart Talks With Serbia - Foreign Minister

Fahad Shabbir (@FahadShabbir) Published October 21, 2019 | 06:03 PM

Bulgaria expects the new Kosovo government to restart reconciliation talks with Serbia, Bulgaria's foreign minister, Ekaterina Zaharieva, said at a news conference in Moscow on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st October, 2019) Bulgaria expects the new Kosovo government to restart reconciliation talks with Serbia, Bulgaria's foreign minister, Ekaterina Zaharieva, said at a news conference in Moscow on Monday.

Talks between Serbia and its EU-recognized Kosovo stalled last November after the latter raised tariffs on goods from the mainland. Both nations are aspiring EU members.

"I hope that after government elections in Kosovo, this long EU-assisted dialogue will resume because it is very important for the security and stability of the entire region," Zaharieva said.

Zaharieva, who met with top Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov, said they had expressed regret about the pause in the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina.

The snap election in Kosovo two weeks ago was won by the left-wing Vetevendosje party, whose leader told media that resuming negotiations was not his top priority.

Apart from Serbia and Kosovo, four other nations North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia and Montenegro are seeking membership in the European Union.

Several EU members led by France blocked North Macedonia and Albania from beginning formal accession talks last Friday. Zaharieva said she hoped they would drop their opposition and the talks would start early next year.