The EU is ready for punitive measures against Kosovo and Serbia

2023-06-27 08:58:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

At the meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers, there was an agreement that Kosovo and Serbia will face punitive measures if they do not make progress in de-escalating the situation. The measures are expected to be political and financial.

The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, after the meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, said on Monday (26.06), that the EU member states would be ready to take measures against both Kosovo and Serbia if there is no progress in de-escalation the situation in the north of Kosovo. Borrell informed the foreign ministers of the member countries about the situation in the north of Kosovo and the separate talks of the past week that he had with the Prime Minister Kurti and the President of Serbia, Vuçi.

Borrell: New elections must be held

The European Union has welcomed the release of three Kosovo policemen, who were arrested by the Serbian police on June 14, and stressed the need to hold new elections in the north.

"We agree that elections should be held. We cannot have mayors in offices protected by NATO forces forever, being elected by 2 or 3 percent of the voters. This is not a sustainable solution.

So if it is not sustainable, it has to be replaced by other solutions and the next solution can only come from new elections and that is what both sides have to do. Elections with the participation of Serbs, otherwise it will be the same situation as today", said Josep Borrell. EU requirements for Kosovo and Serbia

Last week, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, were in Brussels, but they did not meet each other. The two held separate meetings with European mediators, but no progress was made in the dialogue, apart from the pledge to reduce tensions.

The European Union has clear requirements: Kosovo demands the suspension of police operations in the municipal buildings in the north and the four mayors must temporarily perform their duties outside the municipal offices.

Meanwhile, Serbia is required to ensure that the protesters leave the municipal buildings simultaneously with the departure of the Kosovo police. If there is no progress on these points, the punitive measures against Kosovo and Serbia "will be political and financial", said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.

Antony Blinken commits to resolving the situation in the north

Recently, the international community's efforts to reduce tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have intensified. The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, held separate telephone conversations with Prime Minister Kurti and President Vuqiq on Monday about the tensions in the north of Kosovo.

"Prime Minister Kurti and Secretary Blinken talked about the situation in the four northern municipalities of Kosovo, about the new elections that must be preceded by the rule of law, about the violent extremists who attacked KFOR soldiers, the Kosovo Police and journalists, about the three Serbian vice presidents in Leposaviq, Zveçan and north of Mitrovica, for the confiscation of weapons and ammunition in a car with Belgrade license plates, for the need for full, sequential and unconditional implementation of the Brussels Basic Agreement", the announcement states.

Më herët gjatë ditës së hënë edhe presidenti i Serbisë, Aleksandar Vuçiq njoftoi për bisedën telefonike që kishte zhvilluar me sekretarin Blinken dhe insistimin për qetësimin e situatës në veri të Kosovës. "I thashë sekretarit Blinken, se Serbia sillet seriozisht dhe në mënyrë të përgjegjshme, por njësitë speciale të Policisë së Kosovës po arrestojnë çdo ditë pjesëtarët e komunitetit serb në mënyrë krejtësisht arbitrare dhe kërkova lirimin e të gjithë serbëve të arrestuar”, shkroi Vuçiq në Instagram.

Vuçiq thotë se gjatë bisedës me Blinkenin ka theksuar se "dorëheqja e katër kryetarëve të rinj shqiptarë në komunat në veri të Kosovës dhe tërheqja e njësive speciale të Policisë së Kosovës nga ndërtesat komunale janë të një rëndësie kyçe për të ulur tensionet në këtë pjesë”.

Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia deepened at the end of last month, where groups of Serbian citizens continue to oppose the placement of Albanian mayors in municipal offices. As a result, there were also clashes with KFOR troops. NATO has increased its presence in Kosovo by around 700 soldiers, ready to keep the situation under control./ DW