The European Commission has urged Serbia not to link closer ties with the EU to the bloc’s future role in the breakaway province of Kosovo.

The warning came after the prime minister of Serbia said in a statement that the EU would have to choose between Belgrade and Pristina.

Still, Vuk Jeremic, the foreign minister of Serbia, after the talks with Enlargement Commission Olli Rehn, said, “Kosovo’s future status and the European integration of Serbia cannot be linked.”

The Commission’s spokesperson said, “The stabilization and association agreement is not something we impose on any country. It is a recognition of a privileged relationship with the EU, and it brings very tangible and concrete benefits for the citizens of the country.”

“The Commission wants to help Serbia towards the EU, but ultimately it is in the hands of the Serbian people and their leaders to ensure that the conditions are met,” he added.

In the Serbia’s January 20 presidential election campaign, the debate on European Union ties has significant relevance.