However, in their attempt to convince them to accept the status of Kosovo, the European Parliament adopted with a wide majority a resolution urging the five member states to do that. In the document adopted by the European Parliament legislative assembly in Strasbourg it is said that the possible signing of the agreement for stability and association could encourage the regional and European integration of Kosovo, with the final objective of integrating into the EU.

Foreign policy analysts believe that the reluctance of the five countries in recognizing Kosovo is due to their sensitive domestic situations. Romania, Spain, Greece, Cyprus and Slovakia face secessionist ambitions of ethnic minorities. That is why, analysts believe, if these countries recognized Kosovo’s independence, the former Serbian province could set a dangerous precedent for the autonomy of their own territories.

On the other hand, Kosovo returned to the front page of the European agenda along with the resumption, at an accelerated pace, of negotiations between Belgrade and Prishtina, mediated by the EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton. The bone of contention is the high level of autonomy requested by Belgrade for the majority Serbs in the north of Kosovo.

Finding a compromise would not only help Kosovo, which could find open doors at institutions with international relevance, but could also help Serbia. One should not forget that signing an agreement with Kosovar authorities is a firm condition for starting negotiations to integrate Serbia in the EU.

An understanding between the two sides would complete the visible reforms that Serbia underwent in the last few years, and would breathe new life into the discussions between officials in Belgrade and Brussels. Also, from another perspective, an agreement between Belgrade and Prishtina could end the strong interethnic tensions in the former Yugoslav space, ravaged by such conflicts in the 1990s.