Lajcak: Vucic and Kurti have mandates to make difficult decisions

"Vucic and Kurti have mandates to make difficult decisions... The EU has done everything it could, but we cannot want normalization more than Kosovo and Serbia," Lajcak said in an interview with the newspaper Nova, adding that a comprehensive agreement is key to joining the EU.

According to him, a comprehensive legally binding agreement on the normalization of relations is the goal of the dialogue and a key part of its mandate.

"It is also a key condition for the two countries to eventually join the EU. My wish was that we go all the way and end the process with a comprehensive legally binding normalization agreement. That was not possible, but I also want to note that we have come a long way," said Lajcak, who ends his mandate as the EU's Special Envoy for dialogue on August 31.

Lajcak said it is up to Belgrade and Pristina to reach an agreement on the final agreement.

"The process is theirs and we are talking about their future. Both sides have European integration as a strategic priority and progress in the normalization of their relations is essential for progress towards the EU," he said, adding that both Serbia and Kosovo know that they must reach a comprehensive and legally binding agreement on normalization.