Leaders of the 27 members states of the European Union and 20 other European countries are meeting today in Chișinău, to discuss on a variety of topics, with the latest developments in north Kosovo as the main issue.
European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell is expected to meet with Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić, while a day ago he met with Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti.
Borrell described the situation in north Kosovo as “dangerous and unsustainable” and called for immediate de-escalation through dialogue.
Even Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani is in Chișinău to attend the works of the European Political Community, where she is also expected to tackle the situation in north Kosovo.
The President called on her Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vučić to stop supporting “criminal mobs” if he really wants peace.
“The challenge is posed by Serbia, a country that has yet to recognize its past,” Osmani told Reuters in Chișinău.
On his side, President Vučić called on the authorities of Kosovo to withdraw the “alleged mayors” from the Serb-majority municipalities in the north, in order to reduce tensions that have led to violence.
“This would be the most powerful move to solve the crisis. It is important for us to try to maintain peace and stability,” said Vučić through an Instagram update.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned all violent actions against its peacekeeping mission KFOR, with 30 soldiers injured during the May 29th protests.
Stoltenberg reiterated that NATO is ready to deploy even more troops to Kosovo, with 700 additional soldiers already underway.
Local Serbs continue protesting in the northern municipalities of Zvečan, Zubin Potok and Leposavić, however, there appears to be a lower level of participation compared to previous days of protests.
Employees of the Provisional Authority of the Municipality of Zvečan, which operates under the Serbian system, are being registered in a list of employees as proof that they “are coming to work”, according to journalists reporting from the northern municipalities.
The situation in Zubin Potok appears rather calmer, with only Kosovo Police guarding the municipal building. KFOR soldiers are as of yet not to be seen.
Zubin Potok’s Mayor Izmir Zeqiri is currently working from another office, as the security situation is being assessed, to decide if he can enter the municipal building, while local Serbs continue protesting.
Protesters have also gathered in Leposavić, while the municipal building is guarded by NATO-led peacekeepers.
A parallel rally was held in Podgorica in support of the Serbs in Kosovo, with hundreds of citizens gathering in front of a church.
There were no speeches during this protest, where participants chanted “Kosovo is the heart of Serbia”, while wearing shirts with messages such as “Kosovo is Serbia”, “Brothers supporting brothers, no surrender”, as well as “Montenegro-Russia” with the image of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kosovo Police asked citizens to avoid all calls on social media for participation in a protest in south Mitrovica today.
In a press release, the Kosovo Police says it has identified suspicious and malevolent calls in between what is being posted on social media.
Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Zveçla said these calls for protests with the intention of marching towards the north of the country are “unnecessary and do not help the Republic of Kosovo”.
