Kurti comes out against Antony Blinken/ His statement is unfair, wrong and very naive

2023-05-30 22:25:53, Kosova & Bota CNA

Kurti comes out against Antony Blinken/ His statement is unfair, wrong and very

Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti

The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, told the British daily "The Guardian" on Tuesday that Monday was very difficult, and that "we are lucky that no life was lost".

He referred to the clashes between the members of the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, with the Serbian protesters in Zveçan, who opposed the entry of the new Albanian mayors into the municipalities inhabited by a majority of Serbs - Zveçan, Leposavic and Zubin. Potok - through municipal buildings.

Kurti blamed the violence in the north on what he called "fascist gangs" led by the Government of Serbia.

The violence has been condemned by NATO and the international factor, while the United States has asked the Government of Kosovo to take steps to reduce tensions in the north.

On Friday, the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, said that the decision of the Government of Kosovo, to enter the municipal buildings in the north with force, was taken "against the advice" of the United States and European partners, and which " has unnecessarily escalated tensions".

Kurti comes out against Antony Blinken/ His statement is unfair, wrong and very

Kurti expressed his dissatisfaction with this statement.

"I think that, not only is it unfair and wrong and also hurtful, but at the same time it is very naive," Kurti told the Guardian, in a telephone interview.

"Maybe Secretary Blinken will clear this up some day, but it definitely hasn't been helpful."

From that statement, Kurti said that he spoke with the American envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar.

Kurti comes out against Antony Blinken/ His statement is unfair, wrong and very

He said that Escobar asked the Kosovo authorities to send the mayors to other facilities, or even to work from home - a request that he refused.

"We cannot have presidents with Zoom [online calling platform], we are a democratic republic. A democratic republic cannot surrender to the fascist militia", he added.

The American ambassador to Kosovo, Jeffrey Hovenier, said on Tuesday, in a conversation with journalists, that the Government of Kosovo has not coordinated with the United States for the actions undertaken in the north and, therefore, has suffered the first consequence: "the exercises Defender Europe 2023 have come to an end", for him.

Ambassador Hovenier: Cancellation of participation in Defender 23, the first consequence for Kosovo
May 30, 4:40 p.m

The opposition in Kosovo has reacted by making Kurti guilty of tension with the allies, especially the USA. The opposition representatives have called on the prime minister to show political prudence, change his approach and choose the future and the Euro-Atlantic path of Kosovo.

Kosovo's northern municipalities became tense after the mayors emerging from the April 23 emergency elections - all Albanians - were opposed by local Serbs.

The previous heads of the four municipalities in the north, North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Zveçan and Leposavic, inhabited by a majority of Serbs, were from the Serbian List and resigned in November of last year, as a sign of dissatisfaction with a decision of the Government of Kosovo for the re-registration of cars with RKS license plates - Republic of Kosovo.

The elections of April 23 were boycotted by the Serbian List and by the Serbian majority population in the north, which now does not accept the results, namely the new presidents./ REL