German ambassador to Serbia says that Kosovo is mandatory for EU integration

German Ambassador in Belgrade Wolfram Maas has said that recognition of Kosovo’s independence has never been a condition for Serbia’s EU integration.

“But what we do expect is to solve problems that will allow normalization of relations. We know from experience that there is a large maneuvering space there,” he explained.

Maas stressed that the goal of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s visit was to see how much progress Serbia had made in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria, adding that Merkel would support continuation of Serbia’s EU integration.

According to the German ambassador, a potential EU candidate needs to provide political stability in its country, rule of law, appropriate legislation and judiciary and good neighborly relations and regional cooperation.