The European Union's Foreign Policy Chief, Josep Borrell, pointed out on Monday that the bloc's member states have not yet agreed on the ninth package of anti-Russia sanctions.

Before an EU foreign ministers' meeting, Borrell told reporters he hoped for agreement later on Monday or on Tuesday, referring to additional anti-Russia sanctions that would place almost 200 more individuals and entities on the EU sanctions list.

The EU foreign policy chief said the bloc's foreign ministers will discuss the ninth package of sanctions against Russia on Monday since a number of issues needs to be agreed on.

According to Borrell, "This [Foreign Affairs] Council it is going to be very long and difficult because we have in the agenda Iran, we have in the agenda sanctions against Russia, the ninth package, we are still not there, we have not yet finished [the ninth package]."

EU to agree a very tough package of sanctions against Iran

The top European diplomat revealed that the European Union will agree on a "very tough" package of sanctions against Iran.

"(The EU) will take any action we can to support young women and peaceful demonstrators," he claimed.

It is noteworthy that in mid-November, the bloc imposed sanctions on 29 Iranian officials and three organizations over western-backed riots in the country.

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Borrell urges Kosovo and Serbia to de-escalate situation

In a separate context, Borrell stressed that Kosovo and Serbia must de-escalate a tense situation in the region after Serb protesters in northern Kosovo blocked main roads.

Serbs in Kosovo's northern part are blocking roads using barricades to protest the arrest of former police officer Dejan Pantic, the Vecernje Novosti newspaper reported on Saturday.  

According to the newspaper Vechernye Novosti, the Internet and mobile communications do not work in the northern part of the province inhabited by Serbs.

Barricades are placed pic.twitter.com/5oOCUeQfXT

— AZ 🛰🌏🌍🌎 (@AZgeopolitics) December 10, 2022

In mid-November, the former police officer quit his post along with other ethnic Serbs who work as law enforcers in Kosovo after Pristina said it would require Serbs to scrap Serbian license plates dating to before the 1998-99 Kosovo War. Pantic was arrested on Saturday at the Jarinje border crossing.  

"I know the two parts are willing to de-escalate and I strongly call on the two of them to do it," the EU foreign policy chief said.

"They have to come back to the dialogue, they have to overcome this tendency to fighting in the street," he added.

Tension between #Kosovo and #Serbia after the former's new law. pic.twitter.com/2JYvWaoXMN

— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) August 1, 2022

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Borrell: Belgium's European Parliament corruption probe "very worrisome"

Elsewhere, Borrell considered that Belgium's decision to charge four people over allegedly receiving money and gifts from a Gulf state to influence decisions in the European Parliament is "very worrisome".

He noted that the investigation did not target anyone from the EU's diplomatic service.

Four people, including a former MEP, were detained on December 9 in Belgium, as part of an investigation into corruption and money laundering by an unidentified "Gulf country" at the EU parliament, the federal prosecutor's office said.

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