The Serbian list demands the termination of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

2023-05-27 14:25:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Serbian list demands the termination of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue

Illustrative photo

The chairman of the Serbian List, Goran Rakic, asked the authorities in Serbia to stop the dialogue with Kosovo, until, as he said, "all the special forces are withdrawn".

"We ask the president [of Serbia, Aleksandar Vu?i?] and the Government to cut off or suspend any kind of dialogue until the withdrawal of all special forces" of the Kosovo Police, Raki? said during a press conference on May 27.

The dialogue for the full normalization of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is mediated by the European Union, and supported by the United States.

This request of the Serbian List comes a day after the increase in tensions in the north of Kosovo, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

Groups of local Serbs clashed with the Kosovo Police, as the three new Albanian mayors of Zveçan, Leposaviq and Zubin Potok entered the municipal buildings to begin their mandate.

The police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the Serbs gathered in front of the municipal buildings, while gunshots were also reported in Zveçan.

Several police cars were burnt, while at least five policemen were injured.

Lista Serbe, which is the largest party of Serbs in Kosovo, also demanded the withdrawal of special units of the Kosovo Police from municipal buildings, and officials of this party assessed that the new Albanian mayors "are illegal".

During the press conference, Raki? reiterated his party's position that the Serbs will not return to Kosovo's institutions until the conditions presented earlier by them are met, namely the establishment of the Association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo and the withdrawal of special units from the north

On May 27, Radio Free Europe journalists reported that the police are guarding the buildings of the Municipality of Zveçani, Zubin Potok and Leposaviq, while the situation is reported to be calm.

After the tensions in the north, Serbia raised the combat readiness of its armed forces to the highest level.

The international factor condemned Pristina's actions and asked the Government of Kosovo to reduce tensions.

However, the Prime Minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, defended the decision to enter the municipal buildings of the new mayors. He said that he understands the concern of international partners, but "any other option would be a failure to fulfill the constitutional obligations of our Government towards the new presidents". In the four municipalities in the north of Kosovo, in the local elections of April 23, four new Albanian mayors were elected, since the Serbian parties did not participate in these extraordinary elections.

The elections were held after the resignation of the leaders from the ranks of Lista Serbe - the largest party of Kosovo Serbs - in November last year.

This party abandoned all the institutions of Kosovo, due to the decision of the Government in Pristina to carry out the process of re-registration of cars with illegal Serbian license plates.

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

Participation in the April elections was 3.47 percent of the total number of registered voters./ Rel