Ulrike Lunacek

BRUSSELS - Implementation of all agreements should be the priority of the new phase of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in order to enable a full normalisation of relations, says Ulrike Lunacek, the European Parliament's vice-president and rapporteur on Kosovo.

Vice President of the European Parliament and Rapporteur for Kosovo Ulrike Lunacek welcomed the release of Ramush Haradinaj and urged the EU to compel Serbia to withdraw "outdated arrest warrants", as a condition for the continuation of the Brussels dialogue.

BRUSSELS - The European Parliament's Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on Tuesday passed a report on Kosovo by rapporteur Ulrike Lunacek.

Forty committee members backed Lunacek's report, 12 voted against, while five abstained.

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European Parliamentarians voiced concern on Monday over the Montenegrin government's plan to approve a new "eco-resort" on Skadar Lake, which has led to protests from environmentalists who fear it will threaten the national park's ecosystem and rare species.

BRUSSELS - In a draft resolution on Kosovo, debated by the European Parliament Monday, rapporteur Ulrike Lunacek urged Pristina to establish the Community of Serb Municipalities pursuant to an agreement reached in the EU-facilitated dialogue and a decision of Kosovo's constitutional court.

BELGRADE - Vice President of the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek said that no country in the Western Balkans can be promised that it will be admitted into the European Union (EU), even if it meets all the conditions, because there is rising number of parties and politicians in the EU who are not only critical of the EU, but they also want to destroy it.

EP vice-president's statement that Serbia "cannot join the EU before recognizing Kosovo" is her private stance, says Marko Djuric.

Ulrike Lunacek, a member of the European Parliament (EP) from Austria, made the comment on Monday in Germany.

The European Parliament on Thursday backed a resolution on Kosovo by 403 votes for to 130 against and 104 abstentions.

The resolution expresses concern over corruption and organised crime and calls for action on drafting a long-promised statute of an Association of Serbian Municipalities.

European Parliamentarians have submitted 155 amendments to a draft resolution on Montenegro, which will be discussed in February, most of which urge Podgorica to tackle political corruption, vote-buying accusations and the state Telekom privatization affair.

"Blaming the EU is the wrong way, this will be counterproductive and I strongly disagree with it," Lunacek told BIRN on Sunday.

"I share the frustration of Kosovo citizens that the latest report has not provided the expected outcome but we are closer than ever to succeeding," she added.