Agreement on official visits

Agreement within the framework of technical dialogue
Date of signing: November 14, 2014

Agreement status:
The agreement has been implemented to a large extent

Parties / delegations

Marko Đurić
Head of the negotiating team of the Government of Serbia

Federica Mogherini
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy

Edita Tahiri
Minister of Dialogue and head of the Kosovo * negotiating team

Officials

Tomislav Nikolic
President of Serbia

Ivica Dacic
Prime Minister of Serbia

Atifete Jahjaga
President of Kosovo *

Hashim Thaci
Prime Minister of Kosovo *

Background:

On 14 November 2014, Kosovo and Serbia formulated specific rules concerning the visits of Kosovo’s officials to Serbia and vice versa, with the role of liaison officers envisaged to notify the other party of the visits.

The officials are divided into two groups – higher and lower. For the former category of visit, notification must be sent at least 72 hours in advance, while for the latter, the deadline is 48 hours in advance.
Besides, it is envisaged that both parties appoint one respective official with regular and simplified access to the other party, for whom the parties shall submit only logistic information in order to enable preparations for the visit.

The visits of these officials shall be conducted in such a manner to improve the process of normalization of relations or to provide contribution to the overall work in the context of EU-mediated dialogue.
Although the agreement on official visits is being implemented, both parties often accuse each other of not adhering to it consistently.

The essential points of the agreement

Implemented to a large extent

The parties shall inform each other of their officials’ visits.

Implemented to a large extent

Notification of the visits of Presidents, Prime Ministers, deputy Prime Ministers, Parliament Speakers and Ministers of the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Defense, shall be submitted no later than 72 hours in advance, and all potential objections shall be submitted within the first 48 hours.

Implemented to a large extent

Notification of visits of other ministers, deputy parliament speakers, directors of government offices and intelligence agencies, presidents of Constitutional and Supreme Courts, public prosecutors, as well as all other persons with physical security, e.g. religious leaders, shall be sent no later than 48 hours in advance, with all potential objections to be sent within the first 24 hours.

Link to the text of the agreement in the following languages