Kosovo May Become Gateway for Radical Islam to Europe - Serbian Envoy

Kosovo could turn into a gateway to Europe for Islamic fundamentalist ideology, the Serbian ambassador to Russia said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The breakaway Serbian province of Kosovo has a predominantly Muslim population.

A series of mass arrests of alleged Islamic radicals in Kosovo in the last two years amid high unemployment and rising poverty in the region triggered fears it was turning into a terrorist hub in Europe.

"The question of Kosovo is not only the question of Serbian cultural heartache, but the matter of opening a corridor for radical Islam to Europe… And I think that Europe, with a delay, has realized this problem," Slavenko Terzic said at a press conference held at International Information Agency Rossiya Segodnya.

On Monday, the Kosovar parliament ratified a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the European Union. The deal intends to bring economic development, higher living standards and the regulatory framework to the country in line with EU levels.

Serbia, which considers Kosovo to be part of its territory, initialed a SAA pact with the European Union in 2007 and signed it the following year. The deal entered into force in September 2013.

If implemented properly, the accord is expected to enable both countries to advance on their path to EU accession.