High Level Meeting in Brussels – 27 February 2023

On February 27, 2023, Prime Minister Albin Kurti of Kosovo and President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia met in Brussels with EU mediation led by High Representative Josep Borrell and Special Representative for the Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue Miroslav Lajčák playing a key role.

They accepted in principle the contents of the agreement known as the Agreement on the Path to Normalisation and Kosovo’s Prime Minister refers to it as a “basic document”.

The Agreement contains 11 provisions. It ultimately seeks to normalize diplomatic relations between the two countries. While it does not explicitly mandate Serbia to recognize Kosovo’s independence, it does bar Serbia from opposing Kosovo’s accession to international organizations like the Council of Europe, European Union, or NATO. Serbia is obligated to acknowledge Kosovar national symbols, passports, diplomas, and vehicle registration plates. Kosovo, in turn, must ensure an appropriate level of self-management for its ethnic Serb community.

The agreement uses the name “Kosovo” without an asterisk and both parties are referred to by their respective names, i.e., as Serbia and Kosovo, rather than as Belgrade and Pristina.