Serbia will certainly not be asked to recognize Kosovo in order to join the EU, said Polish Ambassador in Belgrade Andrzej Jasionowksi.

Jasionowski, whose country took over the rotating EU Presidency on Friday, said Serbia needed to fulfill the Copenhagen criteria to continue European integration, but that recognition of Kosovo was not among them. Nobody will force you to recognize Kosovo, that is your independent decision and it is up to the Serbian people to make the decision they want, the Polish Ambassador said in an interview for Tanjug.

He added, however, that relations with Kosovo clearly needed to normalize, primarily in terms of the life of the people there. Freedom of movement and vital records are things that help in everyday life and this does not require a legal recognition of Kosovo, the Polish ambassador said.

Asked how the problem of Kosovo's participation at summits organized during his country's presidency of the EU would be resolved, Jasionowski said Poland had recognized Kosovo and considered it an international legal subject. If we organize summits and events during our Presidency to which Balkan countries are invited, Kosovo will be invited as an independent state, the ambassador said.

He said Serbia and Croatia were given the same conditions that would be put before any other country wishing to join the EU, with the additional requirement of cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Jasionowski expressed hope Serbia would get EU candidate status, followed by a starting date for accession talks during his country's Presidency.

But everything is in your hands, because there are some obligations and conditions to be fulfilled, he added. Poland took over the six-month rotating Presidency of the EU from Hungary, and will turn it over t Denmark on January 1 next year.