The question lingering over the past few days is whether Greece is preparing to recognise Kosovo, and a diplomatic source from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs answered that question.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić expressed his dissatisfaction with the rapprochement between Athens and Pristina in an interview with the Serbian channel Happy TV.
On Friday, the Serbian ambassador to Athens was summoned to the Foreign Ministry and was informed that "Athens will continue to develop its relations with Pristina and will turn its office into an 'Office of Interest for Kosovo'."
"They are raising the level of (diplomatic) relations to the level of political directors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the Serbian President commented.
He also expressed reservations about the forthcoming visit of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to the Kosovo capital of Pristina on June 4.
Vučić also spoke of "coordinated" strategic pressure on Belgrade over the specific upgrade of relations between Athens and Pristina, which makes the "situation around Kosovo more complicated."
The Serbian leader even went so far as to envisage "possible recognition of Kosovo by Greece and Spain" after the opening of the Athens trade office in Pristina, "regardless of the imposition of illegal duties by Pristina on Belgrade."
However, a Greek diplomatic source confirmed that Athens is not preparing to recognise the independence of Kosovo.
"There is no case of recognition of Kosovo as long as Spain, Romania, and of course Cyprus, do not recognise it," the source said.
"If we were the only ones in the EU which did not recognise Kosovo, it would be very likely we would because of US pressures to recognise," the source explained.
"But because of Catalonia and the issue with the Basques, Spain, despite all the fears of the Serbian president, is not going to recognise Kosovo," the sourced added.
The upgrade of their office is, as the source said, simply a "move to match our liaison office because, of course, if there is no recognition it is not an embassy, as happened in Skopje. We are talking about a simple upgrade of the Pristina office in Athens."
"Therefore, allegations about the recognition of Kosovo are unfounded," the diplomatic source said.
"Although the office, while was exclusively economic in nature, can now raise political issues - the prelude to the recognition of Kosovo by our country is not set today and neither is it possible in the future," he stressed.
READ MORE: President Vučić: I hope Greece does not make a wrong decision and recognise Kosovo.
