On March 1, 2012, EU leaders granted the candidate status to Serbia. Romania blocked the decision and required additional guarantees for the rights of the Romanian minority in Eastern Serbia. The behavior of Romania was surprising because Bucharest was considered to be a traditional friend of Belgrade and was one of the five EU memberstates which did not recognize the one-sidedly declared independence of Kosovo. The case became a good occasion for the resumption of the more broader debate on the ways a state should uphold its interest within the EU.