European Commissioner Johannes Hahn said he believe that the European Union’s goal for Kosovo and Serbia is to reach an agreement to normalize their relations by mid-2019.

“Our goal should be to have an agreement by the middle of next year. Things will not get better if we delay the job because we will have a new European Commission, a new high representative. And we would have to start over,” Hahn told Macedonia’s MIA news agency.  

He said that he believes all the sides involved in the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue are aware of the stakes, of what is realistic and what is possible.  

The commissioner said that Kosovo and Serbia should be given an opportunity to openly enter into the negotiations but warned that the solution must not be found at the expense of others.  

According to Hahn, the solution has to contribute to the overall goal of all six Western Balkans countries becoming European Union members.

“The entire concept will fail if just two or three countries become members and the rest do not. That will not contribute to the stability of the region. On the contrary,” the commissioner said.