It was important for Bulgaria that the EU would declare firmly, that Kosovo was unique and would not set a precedent, Bulgaria's official position on the future status of Kosovo stated.

Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin presented the Bulgarian stand at the EU General affairs and external relations council in Brussels.

The EU should make it clear that the Kosovar institutions would have to show responsible behaviour, co-ordinated with the international community, Kalfin said as quoted by a Council of Ministers press release.

The Union should keep its key role in finding a resolution to the Kosovo problem, which affected European security and the situation in the Western Balkans, Kalfin said.

According to Kalfin, the EU should focus on opinions on Kosovo which were similar to one-another and where a consensus was possible, instead of on points on which opinions were divided.

The Ahtisaari plan should be reviewed. The plan was rejected both by the Kosovo Albanians and Serbs but had a number of good points, especially in terms of providing protection of rights of all minorities in Kosovo, the media statement said.

Bulgaria insisted that Kosovar institutions should engage in the creation of mechanisms guaranteeing a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and democratic society and development, included in the Ahtisaari plan.

Besides, the EU had to confirm its engagement in a European perspective on Serbia and to declare its readiness to help the country speed up its EU integration.

Kalfin hoped that soon a stabilisation and association agreement of Serbia with the EU could be signed. Bulgaria suggested that work on the visa regime liberalisation with Serbia should continue.

Kalfin said that Bulgaria expected that Serbia and Kosovo would keep to their engagement to refrain from any actions that could threaten the security in the region.