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EU: Do not speculate about the removal of punitive measures against Kosovo

2024-06-17 18:26:36, Kosova & Bota CNA

Officials of the European Union said on Monday that the lifting of punitive measures against Kosovo is an institutional matter of the member countries and not of someone from outside to try to speculate on the content and timelines.

"It will be done at the time that is right for the High Representative and the member states and the content will be seen and discussed first by the member states and then take the necessary decisions. And when this has happened or when this will happen, we will let our colleagues in Kosovo know what the result is. So there is no space and we see no reason for these public speculations and announcements from various actors", said during a press conference the spokesperson of the European Union, Peter Stano.

Mr. Stano's comments were a response to last week's statements by the Deputy Prime Minister of Kosovo, Besnik Bislimi, who during the reporting to the Commission for European Integration said that there is information that the removal of punitive measures against Kosovo has been recommended.

"The report should have been submitted the day before yesterday, but a part of the (European) Commission or a part of the figures of this Commission have asked for a little postponement and I believe that the same will be sent for approval to the Council during the next week. As far as I know, the content of the report is positive and it will be recommended to remove the measures", said Mr. Bislimi.

It is now a year since the Kosovo government faced punitive measures from the European Union due to tensions in the north, where the sending of Albanian mayors to their offices at the end of May last year was strongly opposed by groups of Serbian citizens who clashed with the Kosovo police and NATO peacekeeping forces, injuring over 90 members of KFOR.

The European Union had requested the extension of the situation in the north, the removal of special police units from the municipal buildings and the organization of new elections for mayors of the municipalities inhabited by Serb majority in the north of Kosovo.

Since that time, the situation in the north of the country has been permeated with tensions and unilateral actions according to the European Union. Mr. Stano said that all these developments will be part of the report of the Head of Foreign Policy of the European Union, Josef Borrell, regarding the fulfillment of the conditions for the lifting of measures for Kosovo.

"We have seen during the last period of time, for months we have seen unilateral steps, uncoordinated steps that led to new tensions. The continued escalation was the reason why the European Union imposed the measures. So, of course, we expect the Kosovo authorities to take the necessary steps to expand, but we also expect the same from the Serbian side. So both sides have obligations and they have a duty to do everything they can, together with their allies, their representatives and their partners to prevent any form of another escalation," Mr. Stano said.

The authorities in Kosovo say that the country has fulfilled all obligations for the removal of punitive measures, while they have criticized the European Union for unilateral actions avoiding taking measures against Serbia for its role in tensing the situation in the north of Kosovo, especially after the attack of September 24 in the north by a group of armed Serbs./ VOA