Serbia to recognise Kosovo passports with the flight deal, Minister says

Gazeta Express

21/01/2020 14:19

The US-brokered Agreement reached on Monday between Kosovo and Serbia to launch direct commercial flights after more than twenty years, means that Serbia has to recognise Kosovo’s passports. This was stated by Kosovo’s outgoing minister of Infrastructure, Pale Lekaj.  

Lekaj who is minister in outgoing government headed by Ramush Haradinaj, said the deal brings Kosovo and Serbia closer to reaching a final deal “on mutual recognition.”

“It is a step towards mutual recognition between the two countries, and I think that this dela will push forward the dialogue process,” Lekaj said. “We have an agreement between the two countries, because as you know Serbia does not recognise the authority of Pristina International Airport, and now after 21 one years, Serbia recognises Kosovo as a state, this is a landmark agreement,” Lekaj said. Lekaj said with this Agreement Serbia finally recognises Kosovo’s International Airport “Adem Jashari.”

The Agreement between Pristina and Belgrade was signed Monday at the US Embassy in Berlin, between State Secretary of Serbia’s Ministry of Economy, Milun Trivunac and Executive Director of Kosovo’s Civil Aviation Authority, Eset Berisha. The ceremony was attended by the US Ambassador to Germany and US President Donald Trump’s envoy on dialogue, Richard Grenell as well as US National Security advisor, Robert O’Brien. The flights will be operated by German company Lufthansa.