EU urges Serbia, Kosovo to use momentum in normalization process

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbia and Kosovo should use the current momentum for normalization, the European Union special envoy said Tuesday.

The comments by Miroslav Lajcak came after he visited the region.

"We want to take advantage of this momentum. We are working to have a high-level meeting that will deal with the normalization of relations and we want that meeting to take place within a few weeks," Lajcak said after meeting Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

He added that there is no time to waste regarding the momentum.

"There is no pressure, but we must use this momentum,'' he said.

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Lajcak said it is not good that a security vacuum has been created in the north after the withdrawal of members of the Serbian community from the police and judiciary.

''A serious security vacuum has been created in the north, which is not good. We want the normal situation to return -- when the police were there and did their job when the judiciary functioned,'' said Lajcak, according to Radio Kim.

Lajcak met Monday with President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade.

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo flared last month when ethnic Serbs in Kosovo withdrew from all central and local institutions to protest the decision to replace car license plates issued by Serbian authorities with those from Kosovo.

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

But Serbia continues to insist Kosovo is its territory.