The European Union Special Representative for Kosovo-Serbia Dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has announced that Kosovo and Serbia have agreed to continue discussions on finding a permanent solution for the use of license plates on May 13 in Brussels, Gazeta Express reports.
"I am glad to announce that after my consultations with the two Chief negotiators yesterday and today, we agreed to continue our discussions on finding a permanent solution for the license plates issue in Brussels on May 13," Lajcak wrote on Twitter.
On April 21, Chief Negotiator of Kosovo Besnik Bislimi and his Serbian counterpart Petar Petkovic, held a meeting facilitated by EUSR Lajcak, but failed to reach a permanent solution on the use of vehicle plates. Kosovo Chief Negotiator Bislimi said that the Serbian side has not presented any modality during the meeting, and refused a last minute proposal of the Kosovo side that the vehicle plates issue to be discussed by chief negotiators and find a solution within a 30-day deadline.
On September 30, 2021, Kosovo and Serbia agreed to a temporary deal on the use of vehicle plates, under the condition that a final permanent solution should be found within six months. Under the provisional deal, Kosovo and Serbia agreed that vehicles of both countries, when entering the territory of each other, cover their state symbols in vehicle plates with white stickers. The provisional agreement was reached after days of protests in the northern part of Kosovo when local Serbs blocked roads, to oppose the Kosovo Government decision on reciprocity of vehicle plates. The reciprocity meant Kosovo introducing probation plates for vehicles entering from Serbia, a measure which was applied by Serbian authorities at the border. The EUSR Lajcak has announced that the sticker regime on vehicle plates remains in force until a permanent solution is found. /GazetaExpress/
