The Role of the High Representative Catherine Ashton in the Normalization of a Situation in the Western Balkans and European Perspectives of Serbia

Abstrakt: This article examines the activity of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (HP), Catherine Ashton, in negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia. Kosovo is a former province of the Republic of Serbia which announced independence in February 2008. Since then, the relations between Belgrade and Pristina have been deteriorating rapidly. One of the most important conditions of the rapprochement between the Republic of Serbia and the European Union is to normalize the relations with Kosovo. Brussels has decided to support this process and Catherine Ashton was a representative of the EU in these negotiations. Serbia and Kosovo signed an agreement on normalization of mutual relations. The result of this agreement is that Serbia has become the official candidate to the EU. The aim of the article is also an analysis of the possibilities of receiving by the Republic of Serbia a full membership of the EU structures. This country, despite beginning the membership negotiations, wrestles with a number of internal as well as external problems. Belgrade was praised for its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY). Nonetheless, there are still questions of the weak economy, reforming the judiciary and administration. Moreover, the Republic of Serbia, still wants to build the South Stream through its territory, despite the EU recognizes this project as unlawful. Recently Brussels required from Belgrade revision of its policy towards Moscow and joining the EU sanctions on Russia as a reaction on the Ukrainian crisis and the annexation of Crimea.