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On 22 April in Luxembourg, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with Kosovo’s Minister of European Integration Vlora Çitaku and welcomed the successful completion of the negotiations between Serbia and Kosovo, stressing that the implementation of the agreement to normalize relations between the two countries was now of key importance.

“This agreement can encourage the progress of both countries towards their membership in the EU, contribute to the normalization of relations between the two countries and may provide an impetus for the entire region of the Western Balkans,” Linkevičius said.

On Friday, the Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dačić and the Prime Minister of Kosovo Hashim Thaçi initialled the long awaited agreement between Belgrade and Pristina to normalize relations between the two countries. “Habemus pactum!” announced Çitaku on Twitter. Kosovo’s Parliament endorsed the agreement on Sunday evening.

“There’s going to be a very intense and challenging period ahead of Serbia and Kosovo. The European perspective of both countries depends on the successful implementation of this agreement,” the Lithuanian Foreign Minister said.

The Minister of European Integration of Kosovo acknowledged that the implementation of the agreement would not be easy, but ensured that Kosovo was ready to face new challenges, because the accession to the EU was the country’s vital interest.

Kosovo declared independence on 17 February 2008. Diplomatic relations between Lithuania and Kosovo were established on 1 September 2009.