Hill: The situation in the north of Kosovo is dangerous, the political process must continue

2023-09-26 15:59:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hill: The situation in the north of Kosovo is dangerous, the political process

The US ambassador to Belgrade, Christopher Hill, said on Tuesday that the escalation of violence in the village of Banjské in northern Kosovo, where a group of armed Serbs killed a police officer, is "a tragic event", while calling for the continuation of the political normalization process. of Kosovo-Serbia relations.

"It was a tragic event and we must all condemn the killing of a member of the Kosovo police. It is always regrettable the loss of life, but I think it is important to continue with the political process. I think that processes are being developed to further promote the dialogue", said Ambassador Hill during a debate in Belgrade.

He made these comments after the meeting of the ambassadors of the main Western countries with the Serbian president Aleksandar Vucic, in which the situation in Kosovo was discussed after the events of Sunday.

The American ambassador did not want to give more details about the discussions, but underlined that the diplomatic commitment should be "strengthened" in the following days and weeks.

The Serbian president wrote on social networks that during the meeting with Western diplomats, he requested that the NATO-led forces "take care of all security issues in the north of Kosovo, instead of Albin Kurti's police".

On Sunday, he said that the attackers were Kosovo Serbs who "could not stand the terror of (Kosovo Prime Minister) Albin Kurti".

The American ambassador in Pristina, Jeff Hovenier, said on Tuesday that the group that attacked the police did not consist of citizens who gathered "spontaneously to express their concerns".

"We are still working to understand how and who is responsible and why. But I mean, you've seen the footage of the military equipment and the plans that were developed. This was not a group of citizens who spontaneously came together to voice their concerns. This was a trained and organized group. This implies that there is some sort of structure behind them, given the training and equipment. We want this event to be brought to light and they to be held responsible", said Ambassador Hovenier after a meeting with the President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani.

On Sunday in the village of Banjské in the north of Kosovo, a group of masked people in military uniforms attacked the Kosovo police, killing one officer and injuring another.

Grupi më pas hyri me forcë në manastirin ortodoks në fshatin Banjskë duke vazhduar të qëllojë mbi policinë. Përleshja përfundoi kur shumica e sulmuesve u arratisën. Tre nga sulmuesit e armatosur mbetën të vrarë.

Sulmi u cilësua si akt terrorist nga institucionet e Kosovës dhe diplomatët perëndimorë. Kryeministri Kurti tha se grupi i armatosur kishte mbështetjen e autoriteteve në Serbi. Presidenti serb ka mohuar çfarëdo lidhjeje me grupin, ndërsa qeveria e tij shpalli të mërkurën ditë zie në kujtim të tre të vrarëve në Kosovë. Lista Serbe, partia kryesore e serbëve të Kosovës që mbështetet nga Beogradi shpalli tre ditë zie në zonat e banuara me pjesëtarë të komunitetit serb në kujtim të të vrarëve.

Autoritetet në Prishtinë thanë se vendimet e tilla janë “vulosje e autorësisë së këtij organizimi”./ VOA