Hovenier: Kurti is fueling ethnic tensions that limit US support

2024-02-04 08:39:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hovenier: Kurti is fueling ethnic tensions that limit US support

Jeff Hovenier

The American ambassador in Pristina, Jeff Hovenier, accused the government of Kosovo on Saturday that with their recent actions they are inciting ethnic tensions in the country, which according to him are limiting the United States' support for Kosovo in the international arena.

In a statement released Saturday evening, Ambassador Hovenier said the United States government is deeply concerned about recent actions by Kosovo government authorities that have a direct and negative effect on members of ethnic Serb and other minority communities. in Kosovo.

"These actions are unnecessarily increasing ethnic tensions and consequently limiting the United States' ability to serve as an effective advocate for Kosovo in the international arena," he said.

The American ambassador mentioned the operations carried out during the week by the Kosovo police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs in the offices of parallel institutions supported by Serbia in the municipalities of Dragash, Peja, Istog and Klina located in the western part of Kosovo, as well as in the non-governmental organization " Center for Peace and Tolerance" in Pristina.

"We are also concerned by the actions of the Kosovo police today regarding the seizure of Serbian dinars and the car that was transporting for the distribution of social payments from Serbia. We ask the Kosovo authorities to ensure that the individuals for whom these social benefit payments are intended receive them without delay", said Ambassador Hovenier who called for the issues related to the structures supported by Serbia to be to be addressed through dialogue facilitated by the European Union.

On Friday, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Xhelal Sveçla, said that in coordination with the Kosovo police, the Prosecutor's Office and the Kosovo Intelligence Agency, they closed the offices of the parallel structures of Serbia that operated inside Kosovo.

"On this occasion, the illegal municipality of Peja has been closed in Gorazhdec, in Osojan the parallel municipality of Istog and in Videja the parallel municipality of Klina", Minister Sve?la wrote on social networks, underlining that the time of illegality has ended and the only institution of Serbia in Kosovo will have its embassy in Pristina.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vu?i? condemned on Friday, as he said, the police operations of Albin Kurti.

"The enclaves in Kosovo were attacked after the decision which is only formally a decision by the so-called Central Bank of Kosovo, basically this is the decision of Albin Kurti", said the Serbian president.

The decision of the Central Bank of Kosovo, which came into force on February 1, according to which the euro is the only currency that can be used for ready payments in Kosovo, has raised the concern of Western diplomats that the issue could incite new tensions.

The authorities in Kosovo have left open the possibility of a transitional period to resolve the concerns of the Serbian community that continues to use the Serbian dinar, but the United States and the European Union have asked Kosovo to postpone the decision of the Central Bank immediately, which is not advised in advance.

American Ambassador Jeff Hovenier in his statement reiterated the request of the United States "that Kosovo postpone the implementation of the amended regulation of the Central Bank of Kosovo until satisfactory procedures are established in accordance with European standards and until the population is sufficiently informed about how the transition of their benefits will continue".

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vu?i?, accused the authorities in Kosovo that with the decision to ban the use of the Serbian dinar, they aim at the ethnic cleansing of the Serbs, while he said that he will request an urgent meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

The speaker of the Kosovo parliament, Glauk Konjufca, said that the Serbian dinar has always been illegal in the country and has been misused by Serbia to finance parallel structures that have carried out illegal and dangerous actions for the state of Kosovo.

The authorities in Pristina said that communication channels should be opened between the Central Bank of Kosovo and that of Serbia on this issue, but the Serbian president rejected such a possibility, stressing that this would mean recognition of Kosovo's independence, which Serbia continues to oppose. /VOA