The EU may not request Serbia to recognize Kosovo, because the unilateral declaration of independence of Serbia's southern province had not been recognized by some EU member-states, Austrian member of the EP and Vice-President of the socialist group in the EP Hannes Swoboda has stated.

"We should promote Serbia's accession in the EU, but, at the same time, we should include Kosovo in European integrations. We may not ask Serbia to recognize Kosovo, which has not been recognized by some EU member states either.

The majority of the EU states have done it, but not all of them. We have to find a way, but we may not pressure Serbia now for Kosovo," Swoboda said in a statement published by Politika.

In his last week's address to the EO members in Strasbourg, Swoboda also said that "no one knows the formula for Serbia's accession in the EU without recognizing the independence of Kosovo" and "it will be a difficult diplomatic formula, which Serbia has to find."

He also clarified that the EU does not want to import problems but to export stability instead.