EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn in an interview for VOA, called on Serbia to strengthen rule of law, work for a common regional market and continue talks on normalizing relations with Kosovo in order to advance towards EU membership.

Commissioner Hahn, who stayed on Friday in Belgrade, welcomed the initiative of Serbian President Alexander Vucic for opening a dialogue regarding the relations with Kosovo.

Kosovo, a country which was declared independent in February 2008, by many Serbs is seen as “Serbia’s home”, and it is supported by Moscow to continue opposing its independence.

But Serbia was involved in a process of negotiating with Kosovo that enabled the opening of accession negotiations, while Kosovo secured the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU. Serbian leaders believe that the year 2025 may be a period of membership in the European Union. Commissioner Hahn said membership talks should be completed two years before the date of their membership.

Belgrade sees the most difficult part of these talks in chapter 35 regarding Kosovo.

The European Union has not directly asked Belgrade to recognize Kosovo’s independence, but wants a comprehensive agreement on normalizing relations between the two sides.

“The European Union must see a definitive, binding and irreversible normalization of relations between Serbia and Kosovo, before Serbia’s accession. To be honest, we do not want to import that problem through our back door,”

Commissioner Hahn said.

He also emphasized the harmonization of foreign and security policy with the European Union.

Serbia a traditional Russian ally intends to join the European Union, but walks in the narrow line between Russia and the West and has refused to join Euro-American sanctions against Moscow due to its actions in Ukraine./tvklan.al