Hovenier meets with Kurti/ "We are thinking how to encourage Kosovo to do the right thing"

2023-06-01 17:27:27, Kosova & Bota CNA

Hovenier meets with Kurti/ "We are thinking how to encourage Kosovo to do

Ambassador of the United States of America, Jeffrey Hovenier

The Ambassador of the United States of America in Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said after the meeting with the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, that the USA "is thinking about what other means it has to encourage the Government of Kosovo" to calm the situation in the north.

Asked about the potential sanctions that the US could impose on Kosovo for not coordinating with it, Hovenier said that "there have been some consequences, but I hope we get through [this situation] so that there are no other consequences."

"I am not in a position to say [what the other consequences might be]. But, the US is thinking about what other means it has to encourage the Government of Kosovo to do what we think is important to do now: achieve the calming of the situation", said Hovenier.

He added that it is up to the Government of Kosovo to do this, and not the USA.

As a first consequence of the situation created in the north of the country, Ambassador Hovenier announced on May 30 that "Defender Europe 2023 exercises have ended" for Kosovo.

Protests in three municipalities in the north of Kosovo - an area inhabited by a majority of Serbs - began on May 26, when groups of local Serbs gathered in front of municipal buildings to protest against the entry of the new Albanian mayors of Zveçan, Zubin Potok and Leposavi?. .

Elections in the four municipalities in the north, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, were held on April 23 after the resignation of the mayors from the ranks of the Serbian List - the largest party of Kosovo Serbs - in November last year.

The elections were boycotted by the majority Serbian population in that area, which now does not accept the new mayors.

The escalation in the north culminated on Monday, May 29, when KFOR peacekeeping troops intervened in Zveçan "to avoid clashes between the parties and to minimize the risk of escalation", and were attacked by several violent protesters, which the Kosovo government says they were "Serbian criminal gangs".

From this fight that happened, 30 KFOR soldiers were injured.

The United States and allies said that the use of force undermines efforts to normalize Kosovo-Serbia relations and called for calming the situation.

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, has defended the actions of the Kosovo Police, which helped install new Albanian mayors in municipalities with a Serbian majority in the north of Kosovo, despite the resistance of local residents./ REL