The American ambassador to Serbia: Pristina will face the consequences

2023-05-31 15:13:49, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Serbia, Christopher Hill, has said that Kosovo will bear the consequences for the actions of the Government of Kosovo in the north of the country.

"We have made it very clear to Pristina that we oppose the actions of the Kurti Government. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, has also been very clear that there will be consequences in the relations with Pristina", Hill told reporters in Belgrade.

The American ambassador warned that the focus should not be lost from the Brussels dialogue, the establishment of the Association of municipalities with a Serbian majority and added that the Western Balkans should move towards European integration.

Hill referred to the statements of the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, who called on both Kosovo and Serbia to return to the dialogue mediated by the European Union, for the normalization of relations.

Blinken also reiterated on May 31 that the Kosovo Government's decision to forcefully install new mayors in Serb-majority municipalities in the north escalated tensions "sharply and unnecessarily".

These statements by the representatives of the USA come after three days of tensions in the northern municipalities of Kosovo, after the mayors who emerged from the extraordinary elections of April 23 - all Albanians - were opposed by the local Serbs.

On Friday, in another statement, Secretary Blinken said that the decision of the Government of Kosovo, to forcibly enter municipal buildings in the north, was taken "against the advice" of the United States and European partners, and which " has unnecessarily escalated tensions".

Kurti expressed his dissatisfaction with this statement and said that it "is not only unfair and wrong and also hurtful, but at the same time it is very naive", during an interview with "Guardian".

The opposition in Kosovo has reacted by making Kurti guilty of tension with the allies, especially the USA. The opposition representatives have called on the prime minister to show political prudence, change his approach and choose the future and the Euro-Atlantic path of Kosovo.

The previous heads of the four municipalities in the north, North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Zveçan and Leposaviq, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, were from the Serbian List and resigned in November of last year, as a sign of dissatisfaction with a decision of the Government of Kosovo for the re-registration of cars with RKS license plates - Republic of Kosovo.

The elections of April 23 were boycotted by the Serbian List and by the Serbian majority population in the north, which now does not accept the results, namely the new presidents./ REL